a Lost Prince
by Phoenixfire513
Summary: A letter Arrives for Merlin that he had been hoping for a dreading since he was fifteen what will it change and what will he do. but most of all how will he and Arthur get tough the revelations and everything else that will come in the next few weeks. rated teen because I am paranoid
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Merlin was walking towards Arthur's room to tell him that his father had called for him to be there for court today, but all Merlin had thought about for the past few days was his real home the one he had been born in and that was not Ealdor. He missed it, he missed his friends. He had not heard anything since what had happened when he was fifteen until a few days ago when he was in the council chambers keeping Arthur's water glass filled. Merlin was jolted out of his thoughts when another servant by the name of Alya came running towards him calling his name. "Merlin good I found you I was told by some man to give this only to you and no one else was to see it then he left." Alya was holding out a letter to him he took it and thanked her and she smiled and left to do whatever she was suppose to be doing. Merlin looked at the letter and saw the name written on the front and the handwriting it was in and Merlin's heart skipped a beat. The name on the letter was his full name Merlin Adouriouse the only people who knew his full name were from his home and it was written in his father's untidy scrawl.

With shaky hands Merlin opened the letter and read it by the time he was done he had tears of both happiness and fear in his eyes. He took a deep breath then he saw another servant passing and said "Hey Ashen could you find Gaius and tell him to meet me at Arthur's chambers tell him it is urgent and tell him no one is hurt but that is urgent for another reason. If you could do this I would appreciate it he will probably be in the east side of the castle doing his rounds." Ashen said he would and left to find Gaius but Merlin stayed where he was for a few moments thinking "I have to tell Arthur now , how is he going to react? It will probably take me showing him what is under my neckerchief and Gaius backing me up before he ever believe me and he is probably going to hate me for lying to him. Why does this have to happen to me every time. I finally get a sense of peace and my world is thrown into chaos again." Merlin took a deep breath preparing for what he had to do and hoped that Arthur would understand.

When Merlin got to Arthur's chamber door Gaius was already there looking worried but before he could ask what was wrong Merlin told him "I know you are going to ask what is wrong. I got a letter from my father today the first one I have received since I was fifteen and mother and I had to flee. We have to tell Arthur before all of it comes out otherwise he will be even more angry and I want to be the one to tell him. I need you here because you can back me up you can tell him that I am telling the truth and he is going to want proof. I want you here for support as well." Gaius looked at Merlin concern and love for his nephew showing in his eyes as he said "You know I would do that for you anyway and I will help in any way I can." Merlin nodded and walked into Arthur's chambers knowing he never knocked anyway so Arthur was used to it.

"Arthur I need to talk to you now before you go to court today it is urgent and I need you to hear me out and Gaius can confirm every word I say is true and I also have a little poof but I will have to show you that once you hear what I have to tell you." Merlin said gravely Arthur looked up at Merlin seeing the look in his eyes and said trying to play their normal banter "Aren't I the one who is suppose to give the orders Merlin." "Arthur I am not in the mood for our usual banter I need to tell you before someone else does. It is not something I wanted to do but it is something I had to his to protect myself please just come over here and sit down so I can explain it to you because you going to find out anyway so it is better coming from me and no laws have been broken." Arthur could hear the desperation in Merlin's voice and he did not like it so he agreed.

Arthur sat down and waited for Merlin to start talking and Merlin looked terrified but he started anyway "To tell you what I have to I am going to have to start at the beginning to before I even came here that way you can understand. I was not born in Ealdor and I was not born a peasant. I was born in the kingdom Anelya the one you just received word that its king had retaken from the traitorous usurper. I was born higher than a noble, the king Balinor is my father. When I was fifteen my life was perfect I had loving parents, I had friends in the lower town, I was even friends with my knights, I had a girl I loved and hoped to one day marry. I was the best fighter we had and yes me being clumsy was a guise and I can fight with a sword probably better than you can, you fight only with your strength and analyzing only the move that is being executed nothing else. I fight with that way yes but I can see what they what they are going to do before they even do it. I can adapt my fighting style to who I am fighting. And with the way you fight I could take you down in two minutes without a scratch on me and we were enemies you would be dead within two minutes.

When I was fifteen my cousin came to visit us but we did not know his intentions until it was too late. He had an army stationed not too far away. We were all asleep and woke to screams in the lower town and that only happens when we are being attacked so I got my armor on ready to fight whoever it was to protect my people but I did not expect it to be my own cousin. We tried to organize a defense, gather the men, I already had my knights with me five of them were my closest friends. But we had no warning so out defenses where swept aside. My father ordered My mother and I to go with my knights and get out of the city. I tried to tell him I was not leaving but he gave me no choice saying he would rather I live that way at least if something happened to him the people would still have hope so we fled. But as we left the city my cousin sent a spell right at me it was not meant to kill me instantly. It was only meant to kill my people and me slowly as long as I stayed in Anelya. So we ran for the border once were across it no longer effected me or anyone but I could not return home. Me and my mother found a cure for the curse of it later but it still have the scar that is why I wear a neckerchief all the time to hide the scar from prying eyes. My mother and I wonder for a couple of weeks till we settle in Ealdor we pretended to be peasants but I never stopped training I never stopped pushing myself so when the time came I would be ready. I did not have my sword or my Armor anymore. I had sent my knights back to find my father and help him. My father started the rebellion against my cousin. That is why I spilled water all over you that day when you father said that my father had defeated my cousins army and taken back our home. But I received a letter from him today. My cousin escaped after the battle he was the only one left. He found out that I was here in Camelot and he's coming to finish the job to kill me. But my cousin still thinks that he is dealing with a naïve boy who is good warrior but has never truly had to defend himself from anything. When he comes I am going to have to fight him but has gathering more men only a few because he wants to overwhelm me. He is planning right now so my father sent my friends, my most loyal knights ahead to find me here and help me to keep me safe. They will be in by the time court has started and all I ask it that you keep all this secret even from your father until I am sure that this is not a trick from my cousin. I want to make sure it is them I don't want anything I have said to leave this room until then. I am going to stand in the crowd of peasant if it is them I will let them tell their story. If it is them they will see me and know what I am doing and they will catch on. I have a bond with my knights they can sense I am there even if they can't see me right away and I can do the same with them. But I am begging you Arthur to act as if you do not know a thing until I choose to reveal myself and I will take it from there, I don't want you to interfere even if your father tells me I am out of line at first because he does not know but he will in time. I am asking as my friend to do this for me even though I know you are probably very angry but it was the only way I could keep myself alive and safe."

Arthur was in shock for a few long minutes till he seemed to snap out of it and said "I am not angry with you, you did what you had to. You are the closest friend I have Merlin and I will do this for you but when he comes it is not just going to be you and your knights fighting him you have me and my knights helping you too now and we will stand by you in the attack because we are your friends too. The court is starting right now I should get down there and you should get in the crowd." Merlin sighed in relief and said "Thank you for understanding. let's go."

_**(At the end of court)**_

"If there is anyone else who want to say something please do it now." Uther called out, Merlin's heat stopped when he saw his friends lead by the woman he loved who was his best and most loyal knight stepped forward. Before she started to speak she looked around catching his eyes and figuring out what he was doing like he knew she would. "King Uther my name is Ailya, my companions and I are from Anelya my king sends his regards. The reason we are here is we are searching for his son who has been rumored to be here in the castle hiding probably as someone in the lower class. The traitor will be coming to find him to kill him so my king sent us to help protect his son he even might be in this room." Uther was a little shocked then asked "Why has your prince not come to us we could have protected him and to sent word to you." Merlin stepped out of the crowd and said "Because no one would have believed his story now with how he looked and acted." Uther snarled at Merlin and said "Mind your place boy, stay out of things that don't concern you." Ailya tried to defend Merlin "How dare-" Merlin cut her off saying "Ailya it's alright they need proof and I will give it to them I am glad that I don't have to hide anymore." Uther cut in saying angrily" What are you talking about boy you are nothing but a peasant from Ealdor." "That is where you are wrong that is only what I wanted you all to think. I have been in hiding since I was fifteen, I came here to seek refuge with my uncle at my mother's request because the people in Ealdor were becoming too suspicious of me. My uncle Gaius had been protecting me. I stayed in character so I would not be found out because if word got out where I was I would have been hunted down and killed by my cousin. I did not expect to find friends here and I count your son Arthur among one of the closest friends I have here in Camelot but even they did not know who I really was. I received a letter from my father just a few hours ago telling me to expect my knights who are also my closest friend from home. I told Arthur but I asked him not to tell you until I could be sure this was not a trick from my cousin because this is exactly something he would do. I ask that you give my knights shelter sire it has probably taken them a couple weeks to get here because as you know all the other kingdoms lie between here and Anelya." Uther was looked flabbergasted at the new information and said "Of course rooms will be set up for them I am sorry if we ever mistreated you. I would ask if your father would be interested in an alliance between us from what I have heard your army's skill is legendary and you have many things we could use and we can give you anything you need." Merlin said "I think that would be beneficial to both of us but you should know that we do not outlaw the practice of magic if you try to change that there will be no alliance but we will not move against you but we will not try and change how you run your kingdom either for it is yours to do with as you will and if you agree to an alliance we will make sure that no one who is comes here from our lands is magic user. But all that can be settled later if it is alright with you I would like to have some time with my knights because I have not seen them for many years. Later I promised your son a sparring match to see which one of us is more skilled he offered the challenge and I am more than happy to except for it will be fun for me to see how long he last against me for I have never not defeated a foe since I had to flee even though I did do it in secret." "By all means have your time with your knights." Uther said but Arthur cut in before it was over "Father if may Merlin is a good friend to me and his cousin is coming to kill him I ask your permission to for Me and my knights who are friends of Merlin as well to help him when the time comes." Uther nodded his consent and with that Merlin thanked Arthur and Uther then left with his knights.

They walked till they came to a large guest room where Merlin ushered them all inside. Once the door was closed he turned to face his childhood friends and said "You do not know how much I missed you all. I have dreamed of the day I would see you again." A knight named Alith came forward, he was Merlin's best male fighter and a great friend and said "It is good to see you too Merlin We have been waiting for the chance to find you ever since that day and I can't say how happy we all are to see you again and how honored we all are to be able to fight by your side again." Merlin embraced all his friends but one, Ailya. When he finally turned to her he looked upon the woman he loved more than anything in the world and said "You look more beautiful than ever Ailya, and I have never loved another my heart has and always will belong to you. I trust that you have been keeping the rest of them in line in my absence keeping everyone well trained. I did not make you my second in command for nothing." Ailya's eye's filled with tears of joy as she said "I have never loved another either I have missed you so much, but I have kept the other in fighting shape just as you would have. I always hoped I would see you again but now that I am I feel like you are going to disappear again." Ailya looked down at her last words.

Merlin's eyes filled with compassion and love for the woman in front of him, he put a hand under her chin pulling it up till he could look her in the eyes as he said "Ailya that will never happen again, you will never lose me again. And after all this is over we will need to talk before we go home. I have no intention of ever leaving your side again, and nothing is going to tear me from you again do understand me." Ailya nodded not sure whether she could do what she really wanted but Merlin knew so he answered her question by doing it he kissed her passionately for the first time since they had parted all those years ago. The he embraced her saying "Never fear that I will leave you again. Don't worry about my cousin he is no match for me now, you knew my magic was strong back then but my sword was stronger but now I would say that is has equaled if now surpassed it. He still thinks he will be dealing with Naïve boy I was but he has no idea that I am now a man who is a seasoned warrior who won't back down from a fight and he is no match for me now." He broke the embrace kissing her gently one last time before saying "That prat Arthur is still waiting for me to spar with him so why don't you all come he is actually the best swordsman in Camelot so this will be interesting then after I want to spar with all of you just like old times." they all smiled and said that they would love that and they all departed for Camelot's training grounds.


	2. Chapter 2 part 1

_**Hey thanks for all the reviews and hits I was afraid no one would like this because I am completely branching off in a whole new idea but keeping the same things that happened to Merlin and Arthur in the past the same but having Merlin's past and who he really is be a bit different so thanks for all the positive reviews you will see in this chapter why Anelya's army is legendary because you get to read two of its warriors in action in a just a spar then you get to see how Arthur fares against Merlin. but the chapter got so long I had to split it into two parts so they will both be up today I hope you enjoy please keep coming with the reviews they really let me know how I am doing. And thanks again. all right lets get on with the show.**_

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_**Chapter 2 part 1**_

Arthur's head was reeling, Merlin was not what Arthur thought, he was a bloody prince. From what Arthur read when he was a child about the kingdom of Anelya their Army was legendary, their army could be outnumbered twelve to one and still come out on top with hardly any casualties on their side. Merlin can barely hold a sword or he thought and he is clumsy and can't do a thing right. But come to find out one Merlin is a prince, two from Arthur had just heard he is probably the best fighter they have, three everything was a guise. Arthur thought to himself "_No whatever else was a guise our friendship is not. I have had different views on magic then my father for a couple __years but I had no one I could talk to about it but come to find out I did and just did not know it. Who knows maybe even Merlin has magic he is just hiding because I found __out when I was a child that most of his family had magic through the generations though it did skip a few. I never really gave him a reason to trust me with his knowledge __anyway because I was keeping up appearances that I did believe what my father said even though I did not. Even if Merlin does not have magic I am going to talk to him __about it after our match I wonder if I can even touch him now that he does not have to hold back and pretend. Well I should probably get down there he is probably already __there. But if he does have magic I will never turn him into my father I will never do that to him or any of his people who have magic and if I find a magic user who is helping __others and my father has ask me to apprehend them I will get them out and send them to Anelya where they will be safe. It is the least I can do but if they are using it to __hurt people I will apprehend them because that should not happen._" Arthur smiled to himself wondering when he had changed so much then remembered that it was the first time that Merlin had stood up to him and saved his life that Arthur had really started to change.

Arthur made his way to the training ground when he got there what he saw made his mouth drop open. Merlin and the woman who had lead his knights in this morning were sparing but it was not that that had him so amazed. Merlin moved fluidly, the strikes that they were exchanging were so fast Arthur could barely keep up, The woman was breathing hard and had a few nicks on her but Merlin was breathing as if he was just walking and did not have a scratch on him. The next strike that he did was an amazing move, Merlin locked their blades at the hilt, kicked the woman's legs from under her while at the same time wrenching the sword from her grasp, and before the woman could even move off her knees Merlin flicked his sword to her throat and rested the tip on her collar bone. The woman smiled up at him and he smiled back pulling his sword away from her offering her a hand which she took and he pulled her to her feet saying "My love you have improved much since I last fought with you, an enemy who did not know you would be easy defeated but you use the same moves often so it was easy to predict what you would do. I know your every trick but you have yet to figure out mine and I think you know why that is. But you have improved greatly I am very proud of you." then he turned to face all of his knights and said "You have no idea how much sparing with all of you today has meant to me, I can't tell you how much I missed it. And thank you for bring my old sword with you and I can't wait to see what else you have brought, I have an idea what it is but since you will not tell me I am excited to see what it is that has all of you so happy other than see me again which I can tell you I feel the same way."

Arthur finally made the connection between the woman Merlin had loved when he was fifteen and the woman he was fighting "_Merlin fell in love with one __of his knights, his friend. It makes sense why whenever Lancelot talked about Gwen in the way he did before he had left Merlin seemed to get a far off but sad gaze. He had __missed the woman __he loved not knowing if he would ever see her again." _ Arthur was jolted out of his thoughts when Merlin said "Hey prat where have you been, I have been waiting long enough that I have fought all five of my knights." Arthur saw what Merlin was doing he was falling into their normal banter so Arthur walked forward saying "Well Idiot I can see that I saw that last fight so it seems you are not so useless with a sword after all but I bet I could still beat you." Merlin got a devious smile on his face and was twirling his sword expertly in his hand as he said "You want to test that because if that is a challenge I am more than happy to take it. Because I have studied how you fought for years. All strength and only analyzing the one move being executed and then retaliating. I would like to see how long you would last against someone who can adapt their fighting style at any given moment and who never uses the same trick twice. So I ask you, do you really want to do this?" Arthur deviously smiled back and said "Your on, rules all out fight nothing fatal though." Merlin laughed and said "You can go all out but I will not because if I did even though it would be nothing fatal you would be out of commission for least two months and would not be able to so much as twitch without sever pain racking your whole body. So you can go all out all you like because I could take you easily but I will control my fighting so I do not hurt you to badly but I will not make it easy for you it will still be a very hard fight." Arthur nodded still having a hard time fitting Merlin with a good sword fighter.

So they got into their stance to start the fight Arthur noticed that while he had his sword pointed directly at Merlin in his knights way of a starting stance which most kingdoms had Merlin stood strait, both hands on the hilt with the sword tilted a bit behind his head, Arthur wonder at it noticing that that stance left him completely open from the neck down. "_Oh this is going to be easy_." Arthur thought to himself Merlin watched Arthur every twitch every movement his eyes made he knew his friend well. He knew that Arthur thought that the stance he was using left him exposed which it did and he would think it would be easy to hit him while in this stance. But that was the whole point and it also implies the Merlin would not be able to counter an attack quick enough but Arthur had no idea just how quick Merlin was. Merlin knew that right before Arthur attacks he bunches his muscles. Arthur did just that as he charged at Merlin intent on hitting him in the leg, but before he made so much as two steps Merlin dodged out of the way of the sword while spinning kicked at Arthur's left leg making him go down to one knee, wrapped him on the left shoulder leaving a bruise, and ending up behind him all in a matter of seconds. Arthur turned halfway around to look up at Merlin a stunned look on his face as Merlin stood there calmly his own sword resting on his shoulder lightly. "I did not even make two steps towards you how did you do that? That was the most amazing, fastest, and perfectly executed strike I have ever seen. How?" Arthur asked completely shocked Merlin just smiled and said cryptically "That is for me two know and for you to try and find out. If you still do not know by the time this is done I will tell you how I do it though it will not do you any good to know I am just telling you because you are my friend but it will not make it any easier for you to defeat me. Do you still want to keep going or do you yield?" finishing with that question Arthur decided to try and take him by surprise and lunched himself off the ground slashing his own sword at Merlin's shoulder but then changing direction and going for Merlin's left leg. But Merlin did not fall for it and seemed to expect it, because he leaned his shoulder away from the blade while bring his sword down two his leg blocking Arthur then started spinning Arthur sword so fast the Arthur had a hard time keeping hold of it but then Merlin stopped spinning Arthur sword disengaged and put Arthur on the defensive. Arthur had a hard time blocking the strikes Merlin sent his way they were coming so fast he could barely keep up. After about ten minutes Arthur was sweating and breathing very hard he only had gotten on the offensive once and only for about a minute and a half before Merlin had him on the defensive again. Arthur tried to lock blades with Merlin one last time but Merlin did not give him the chance he disarmed him but warned him first with a simple but hard wrap to the wrist with the flat of his blade but Arthur did not drop it immediately Arthur knew that Merlin knew that would not disarm him it was more of a warning but after Merlin locked blades with Arthur at the tips then brought the tips of both blades to the ground in a swift movement which ripped Arthur's blade right out of his hands because of the force then one Arthur's blade was dropped Merlin immediately brought his sword up resting it against Arthur chest.

Merlin still did not have a scratch on him though he was breathing a little faster but on like he had just finished walking fast for twenty minutes, while Arthur was breathing like he had been in battle for a week and completely out of breath. Merlin took his sword away from Arthur's chest letting Arthur retrieve his sword before asking "Are you done or do you want to keep going until you collapse? You have shown you can hold your own fairly well against me which few who are not from Anelya can say Arthur but you are not going to win you are just going to end up fighting until you exhaust yourself. You did well just let it be." Arthur could see he was right but it was hard for him to except defeat it was very hard for him Merlin must have see the struggle going on in his mind because he had one of his brief spurts of wisdom as he said "Arthur excepting you can't beat someone is not a bad thing it just shows you what your limits are and everyone has them. All you can do is keep training until you pass those limits a little each time because that will make you stronger. You did well so excepting defeat is not something to be ashamed of you have learned where your limits are against me so now you know what you must do to surpass them to get stronger." Merlin smiled at him Arthur smiled back and said "Well you Idiot you never cease to amaze me that's for sure." "Let's hope I never do Prat because then life would get very boring for both of us." They laughed at that then Arthur got serious and said "Merlin can I talk to you alone there is something I want to ask you that would not be safe to ask in front of others." Arthur saw Merlin tense and eye him warily and with a hint of fear saying "All right where would you like to speak at?" "I wanted to speak at the lake not far from the city but no one will bother us there." Arthur replied knowing this a little suspicious but he had to be that way otherwise it could have disastrous consequences. "Let me speak to my knights really quick so I can get them to go and do some other things then we can go." Merlin said Arthur could hear the fear in his voice though only barely if he had not been paying so much attention he would not have noticed it. Arthur nodded and waited.

Merlin walked over to Ailya and said quietly so that no one else could hear "Ailya Arthur want to speak to me alone and with how cryptic he is being I think I know what about. I think he wants to talk about magic but I do not know why so I need you and the knights to be ready to run. Do you remember what the druids at home told us when we were children about Emrys and the once and future king and the destiny they share?" "Yes of course but what does that have to do with this?" Ailya whispered back "Everything. While I have been here I have found out a few things about myself and Arthur though I wish sometimes that I didn't because it has been a pain to see it through. I found out that that Arthur is the once and future king but I also found out from the druids here and the great dragon himself that I am Emrys and I have come to see that it is true. But I do not know if Arthur is ready to know yet. His views have been changing slowly but every time someone attacks using magic against Camelot it reverts his mindset back to magic is evil and if it didn't he acted like it did. Just in case I need you to tell the knights to prepare to run but wait for the order here, then I need you to follow behind me and Arthur but remain out of site you know how to do that better then Arthur and his knights put together. He thinks no one will be able to follow without him knowing but I know any of us could. I want you to stay hidden in the trees and be prepared to send a message to the knights if this should go wrong but if it does not and he is ready I will call you out of hiding. Can you do that for me?" Merlin replied Ailya nodded Merlin gave her a small smile, kissed her forehead, and then went off the follow Arthur knowing that Ailya would be close behind he could already sense her following though he could not hear her.


	3. Chapter3 chapter 2 part 2

_**Here is part two hope you enjoy. this chapter is practically Seeing if Arthur is ready and Merlin finding out if his friend will accept him for all that he is. Lets see what happens shall we.**_

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**Chapter 2 part 2**

_**(Ten minutes later at the lake)**_

Merlin and Arthur had been sitting at the lakeside for a few minutes in silence before Merlin decided to break the silence by asking warily "So you wanted to ask me a question?" "Yes I did but I only had one, Anelya allows magic so I can talk to you about it openly without anyone who is with you thinking it is treasonous but if I talked to you about it inside the city it could have consequences. My question is, is magic evil I don't think it is but I need to know for sure?" Merlin was a little hesitant because this could mean that maybe Arthur was ready but he had to test him before Merlin would admit he had magic himself or that all five of his knights did he would not jeopardize his life or the lives of his friends for this.

"Magic is not good or evil it just is. Magic flows through everything it is the very fabric of the earth, it is in the air, the trees, the water, it is in everything around you. There are people who can use it as you know, but magic is like a sword it can be used for either great good, or great destruction. For example you use your sword to protect others while a bandit uses his to hurt others. It is the same with magic users, the druids who do have magic which is most of them or other sorcerers use their magic to heal and help others, but then there are renegade druids who have turned away from the beliefs of their people and there are other sorcerers as well who use their magic to harm they either feel they have been wronged or they have been corrupted by power. Your father says magic corrupts but it does not, power corrupts. It can be the power of a sword, or magic, or even power as king, but the taste of power can corrupt anyone. Evil is in the minds of men it does not matter who they are or what they can do. What comes to magic it is the wielder who decides whether they use it to protect or harm just as you do with your sword.

There have been people in Anelya who have used their magic for dark purposes my cousin is a prime example and they are punished for they do but it is not always death that is given just like with a person without magic who a commits a crime the punishment fits the crime. Here, you have magic and you are put to death whether or not you use it to help others your father has killed many innocent people just because they posses magic he has even killed children for it and they have never done anything wrong because of his prejudice against it. So no magic is not evil it just is."

Arthur nods still looking out at the lake and said "I have not had the same views on magic as my father for a long time they started to change when you drank that poison and I went after the Mortiouse flower to save you. It was dark, I could not see, I knew that the woman who lead me there had said that more of those giant spiders where going to finish me off but then a blue ball of light appeared I thought at first that it was going to hurt me but then, I don't know how to exactly explain it but when It came near me I could sense it was not going to hurt me, I felt the magic it had almost surround me and I felt safe I could tell it was going to help me to lead me out. It did just that. Many times since I don't know who it is that has the magic that sent it but whenever I am in trouble whenever everything seems hopeless I feel that same presence of magic again and I know I am going to be alright that everything will turn out for the better. One time I knew that I had either been poisoned or something it about three months ago when we went after that dragon egg I thought I was going to die but then I felt that same magic it chased whatever was effecting me away it healed me. Whoever is watching me if I ever meet them I would thank them. Now that I know about how Anelya excepts those with magic if someone here is using it for good and my father has sent me to get them I won't bring them to him I will get them out of the city then tell them to get to Anelya where they will be safe and if they have family in Camelot or anywhere within her borders I will let them know in secret where they are and that they are safe. I am not going to let my father hurt innocent people anymore I am going to the best I can to help them. If anyone that you or your father send here has magic I will make sure they are safe my father will never find out. Truthfully even if it turned out you had magic I wouldn't turn you in either because I know you, you would not hurt anyone unless you were protecting someone else. No, whatever my father says about magic I don't believe it and I haven't for a long time, so you can be honest with me on the subject of magic and I won't condemn you for it and it will just be between you and me. And When I am king I will do everything I can to change what my father has done it might take a while but someday the ban on magic my father has set will be lifted and no one will have to fear for their lives again just because they have magic."

Arthur was not looked at Merlin so Merlin let out a small smile Arthur had passed his first test he was ready it was time to tell him now there would be no more secrets or lies between them but there was one more test to be had.

"You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that. I always hoped you would because everyone out there who fears for their lives because of what they are want to not have to be afraid anymore. You said you wanted to thank the person who been helping you with their magic did you really mean that? Because if you did I know who he is but I need to that you mean what you said first." Merlin said looking at Arthur's expression out of the corner of his eye Arthur did not look at him which was good as he said "I did mean it if you know where he or she is I want to find them so I can thank them myself it would be good to know that I can at least tell them how much it means to me." Merlin smiled and quietly enough so that Arthur could not hear he muttered the same spell he had when he had been poisoned and was watching Arthur through his dreams but this time he did not let the ball of light show in his hand so that Arthur would not know right away that it was him this was his test on whether hewould truly except this was either the turning or breaking point and it all depended on Arthur.

Arthur was looking out at the lake when he felt that same magic he had told Merlin about just now surround him and he saw the same ball of light that guided him to safety all those years ago in front of him "Whoever it is, is here or they are leading me to them." Arthur paused then looked away as the light disappeared but the feel of the magic remained so Arthur knew that the person was here somewhere close by and Arthur was not afraid, he felt excited and safe as he always did when he felt that magic around him. "Merlin, he is here I know it I can still feel his magic in the clearing even though the light is gone. Merlin you said you know who it is if that is true at least tell me his name and least tell me who he is." Merlin chuckled, Arthur sounded so excited that he could barely contain it and wanted to run to whoever the magic belonged to little did Arthur know that that person was right him

"You past his tests Arthur. He did not know if you were ready but he had to know before he reviled himself to you. But the man is here in this very clearing and he already considers you a friend. You also already know him. You have been around him many times every day, he has rode out with you on every mission you have went on. He knew that you were not ready to know who was helping you yet but he knew someday you would be. He helped you in every way he could without you finding out. But now you are ready and he is ready to tell you who he is and reveal himself to you. But he want you to figure out who he is so I will give you hint he is one of your friends but it is not one of your knights or someone you grew up with. You first met him when you were using a servant carrying a target for some moving target practice and the next day you saw him again in the lower town and you said and you might remember these phrases from both of you and they will tell you who he is you said "I can take you apart with one blow." then not even knowing that one day soon you two would start to become friends and that he would treasure your friendship more than anything and would give his life for you without a second thought, he replied "I could take you apart with less." those two phrases are what started the friendship between you two and you know who he is and what you do now can either make your friendship stronger or destroy it completely the choice is yours. Can you figure out who he is from that hint." Merlin looked at Arthur watching the emotions playing across his face knowing the realization would hit him soon this was the moment that Merlin had been hoping for and dreading for almost four years.

Arthur listened to the hint and Arthur thought back to that time that he had buried in his mind because he hated who he had been back then he dug out that memory to give a face to the phrase that was given. Then the flashback and realization hit.

_(_**Flashback**)

_Arthur was walking around the lower town with a few of his father's men and one of his own knights looking around when he noticed the boy who had stood up to him the day __before he thought to himself that he was going to have some fun. "Hey Merlin." the boy continued to walk away so Arthur said tauntingly "Oh don't run away." Merlin stopped __then said in a hard tone "From you." Arthur rolled his eyes and said "Thank god I thought you where deaf as well as dumb." Merlin turned to face him and looked at the __knight behind Arthur and said in a somewhat taunting way "Oh what are you going to do you got your daddy's men to protect you." Arthur laughs at the sheer stupidity of the __boy in front of him and says "I could take you apart with one blow." Merlin just smiled and said "I could take you apart with less." then their mace war started._

(**Flashback ends)**

Confusion then realization hit Arthur about who the man who had been using magic to keep him safe, who had protected him when he could not protect himself, the man who had done so much for him, the one man that Arthur wanted to thank more than anyone was in the clearing, he sitting right next to him. "You, it has been you all this time Merlin. But when the light appeared you where back here in Camelot miles away from where I was and you were half dead how did you even send the light to me tell me that, tell me exactly what happened in that cave, or do something to prove to me that was it was you. Then I will believe it because right now my mind is saying it is impossible so if you can prove it to me so that is no room for doubt then I can believe it. Please prove it to me and if it was not you then this is a sick joke and I want you to stop but if was you then prove it to me."

Merlin smiled know it was hard for him to believe and that Arthur really did want proof and he knew just what to do Merlin took adeep breath then began the spell again loud enough so that Arthur could hear and said "Fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme. Fromum feohgiftum Hine on ylde eft gewunigen wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume." Merlin's eyes flashed gold and the small ball of light shown in his hand just like years before but at the same time the one that was connected to it that guided Arthur out of that tunnel floated in between them in front of their eyes. Arthur's eyes widened in wonder because he could feel the same magic he had felt all these years ago coming from the ball in front of him as well as the one in Merlin's hand but before he could say anything Merlin said

"The only way the light guided you out was because I will it too with my magic which I channeled unconsciously into this ball of light in my hand which sent my will of what I wanted to happen to the light you in front of you that you know guided you out. I may have been half dead and miles away from you but in a continuous dream I could see everything that was happening to you I saw that you were surrounded by darkness I could see that if you were left without help that you would not make it out. I had no care if lived or died I just wanted you to live so I sent this light to you to help you get out and to safety. Then you went the flower anyway I knew you would not be able to hear me but I told you to leave to get out of there and not to risk yourself for me but as usual you did not listen. Once you had the flower and started climbing following the light I sent all I kept saying was climb, follow the light and for once you listened because you knew that it was helping you. All I could think about was getting you out of that cave and getting you to safety.

Once you were out I knew you would be alright so I let spell fade but I still watched you progress just in case you needed my help again but after I saw you were right outside Camelot I stopped watching for I knew you were safe and I was losing strength quickly I could not of kept hold of the vision of you much longer anyway. I did not care that I was going to die as long as you were safe." Merlin let the ball of light fade then said "I pledged my friendship and loyalty to you a long time ago and I would gladly die for you, it stopped being about my destiny to protect you a long time ago it became the need to protect a friend to make sure that friend lived no matter the cost to myself. Our destinies are intertwined and have been since the day we were born. You destiny is to become the greatest king that this world will ever know, your destiny is to unite all the kingdoms under one banner and bring magic back to land so the land of Albion can be born. My destiny is to make sure that you get there. My magic is for you. I just never expected that we become friends.

I am not am not a sorcerer technically the correct term for I am is warlock. I was born with magic I am the only one that has ever happened to. The druids have another name for me and that name is also what I am called in the prophecy that about you and I and that name is Emrys and it says in the prophecy the I will be the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk this earth. I don't just have magic, I am magic and it is me. You are not known by your name in the prophecy you are known as the once and future king. It is said that together we will create Albion. You are of my best friend in Camelot Arthur and I would gladly trade my life for yours any day and no matter where I am I will always protect you and Camelot just as I would protect my own home. If you ever need me and I am not here all you have to do is send for me and I will find a way no matter what I have fight or do to get to your side. When our father's pass and we have to take their places Camelot will always have an ally in Anelya no treaty or anything needed and you will always have me as a friend no matter how much of a prat you can be.

Just so you know all of my knights who are here have magic as well. All of my knights have it but only the six of us that includes myself that are here are an elite force that we call the Valnerlia. It was formed by my father and I but I lead it what we did before I had to flee was we took on mission to protect our people that practically suicide and anyone else would have died taking them on and we enjoyed doing it because even as children we loved trouble because it meant that we would be able to do something to stop it. We took them head on and we always won for three reason, one all six of us were the most skilled of all of the knights with a sword, two my magic was most powerful but after me my friends were the most powerful when it came to magic, and finally all six of us have a bond with each other that was built because we grew up together, trained together, and were all friends from the time we were three years old. Even if we are scattered we know where each other are because of our friendship but that is only a small part of it the bigger part of knowing where the other is because all of our magic reacts to each other almost like our magic calls to each other, it is connected. It tells us when one of us is in danger or when one of wants the other it will call out to the other who we need. I never thought I would feel that bond with anyone again but even though you do not have magic Arthur I can sense if need my help and where you and what is going on with you no matter where you are, it helps that I have magic which strengthens it but the reason I can do that with you is because you are my best friend and my destiny and I will always be there when you need me and sometimes when you don't. Now you know everything there is no more secrets and more lies between us."

Arthur was silent for a long time before he took a breath and said "Well first off thank you for saving my arss all the time. I never thought I would have a true friend who like me for who I am not because of my title or what I could give them, and who would treat me like anyone else. But then you show up with your sharp tongue and insolence and your way of telling me off and insane loyalty and friendship. I am glad I met you that day and I am even more glad now that you are still here. I promise you I will stand by you when your cousin comes for you and we will fight him together it is my turn to return the favor and protect you for once only one of my other knights will come and that will be Sir Leon he already knows I don't agree with my father's views and he agrees with me he does not think that magic is evil for he has been saved by it a few times. So I don't think he would mind if you knew about you. So it would only be him and I coming with you and your knights but I will be the one at your side not him that way you and your knights can you magic and your swords to fight against your cousin and whoever and whatever he decides to bring with him."

Merlin smiled lopsidedly just like he always had and said "Well just don't get yourself kill prat and thank you." Arthur smiled then pulled Merlin into a headlock and rubbed his knuckles in his hair saying "Yeah well you better not get killed either Idiot because otherwise my boot will find your arss on other side." Merlin squirmed laughing letting Arthur win saying "All right Prat just let me go my hairs already a mess thank you." Arthur laughed as well letting Merlin go then Merlin called out "All right Ailya I think you can come out now." then Merlin turned to Arthur and said "I asked her to follow us just in case I had to get a message to my Knights and make a quick get away but now that is not necessary. Now we need to get back, you get sir Leon and meet me and my knights Ailya's room it is the biggest one and will make a plan. Because according to my father in the note he sent my knights where only a day ahead of my cousin so he should be here tomorrow night and I don't want him anywhere near the city because he will not hesitate to hurt anyone in his way and no one in Camelot will suffer at his hands or anyone's." Arthur nodded and they both stood up. Merlin kissed Ailya's brow and said "I guess he was ready now we have got to get back and make a plan. You heard everything so send word to the others and head back we will follow close behind ok." "Alright." Ailya said then she turned to Arthur and said "I am glad that Merlin had you all these years and I am glad that you have accepted that magic is not evil I hope that over time I can get to know you as he does." Arthur bowed and said "I would be honored to do that lady Ailya." Ailya blushed then turned and headed back towards Camelot .

Merlin turned back to Arthur and asked "I know you are use to making the battle plans because you usually know the enemy but my cousin is unpredictable to those who do not know him so I am going to need you to follow my lead on this one think you can do that?" "Well I think I know every inch of land and he does not so I might be able to help figure out the best place for the fight to take place and we can figure out how to lure him there." Arthur replied "Sounds like the start of an idea. Lets head back because we only have till a little before sundown tomorrow to be ready and in place because right after sundown he will be here." with that the two friends walked back to Camelot to start making a plan.

Merlin knew that tomorrow he would have to face his past but also knew that by doing that he could finally start a new future for himself one where his family, friends, and himself could finally be free and he knew that soon he would see his father, his people, and his home again he felt liberated just at thought and he knew that tomorrow night when he faced his cousin the one who had caused him so much pain would die and he would win.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Arthur was in his room staring out his window at the training grounds where Merlin was training with his knights and actually showing Sir Leon a few things that would help him in the fight. Arthur smiled at the sight of Merlin teaching Leon how to do a few moves that no one here in Camelot would know that he could use in the fight tonight.

Then Arthur's smile faltered a bit because he knew the reason he was not down there right now was he was trying to figure out his own emotions when it came to his warlock friend and Arthur was never good with emotions not even his own. Arthur had to think about it all day until he saw Merlin excuse himself from his knights Arthur figured that Merlin wanted some time to collect himself before the fight that was going to happen in just a few hours now. Arthur thought to himself "_Merlin was the first true friend I had but now it much more then that I mean these feelings are not __romantic or anything I would know about that. But these feelings I never had before but seen them but I can't understand why I feel them or what they are." _then the realization hit him with the force of an avalanche _"I think of Merlin as a, oh my god so this is what it feels like. If we die tonight he going to know before that happens and I __will die happily knowing he knows how I feel about him even if it is difficult for me to express emotion I'll do it for him. For some reason I always knew we would die together __I've known for a while it would either be in battle or as old men with us still teasing and insulting each other. I would be glad to die beside him I think if I chose to die __anywhere it would be with him at my side." _Arthur knew he would tell Merlin as they headed out tonight how he really felt about him and he would wait until then.

(**Meanwhile in Anelya**)

Balinor was pacing in his room his wife Hunith had only come home a week ago after he had taken back the city for his nephew and had held it for more than a month. She had come back right after he has sent out his sons knights to Camelot and was sitting on the bed looking at him worry clearing showing in her eyes but also compassion and understanding. Balinor was scared for his son he knew that his nephew was going after him to kill him and that confrontation would happen tonight but he had sent the five knights who were most loyal to his son a head of his nephew knowing they would get there are least a day before him.

"I wish I could be there what if Uther recognized my name and has Merlin killed and if he did not than tonight my nephew is going to be there and going to try and kill our son. I can do nothing but wait and it's driving me insane. We have not heard anything from Ailya or any of his knights to tell us if he is even alright. I know I sent his old sword and armor with them which I had adjusted so that it would work for him now but I don't even know if he is alive. I feel like- ugh" Balinor was so out of his mind with worry for his son that he could not even tell his own wife how he felt and his pacing stopped all he did was stand there his hands balled into fists and he was shaking with anger at his nephew and fear for his son.

Hunith saw how much this distressed her husband was and she knew she felt the same but had to be the strong one for both of them. Hunith stood up and walked over to her husband putting a hand on his arm and her other cupping his cheek so that he would have to look her in the eyes "Balinor I know you are afraid for him I am as well. When we left here and settled in Ealdor all that was left in him was rage and a want for revenge. After about two years his rage and revenge died out but so did so did his hope and sense of purpose. By then I did not even recognize him from who he was to who he had become. He had no hope and no will keep going but he still kept training out of habit but he was numb a shadow of who had been that fire that burned inside him had burned out Balinor. Then his magic got so strong it was hard for him to control, people in Ealdor started getting suspicious of him so I sent him to Gaius knowing he could help him. The next time I saw him was two years after that he had taken a guise as a man servant to the prince but there was something that changed in that time. He had found a bit of purpose again he had grown so much stronger with his magic he and the crown prince had become friends as odd as it sounds. Arthur came to Ealdor to help the villagers there not out of duty and Ealdor is not even within Camelot's borders but he still came for Merlin because he knew how much it meant to Merlin to protect Ealdor and me. The way they act together, the banter they throw at each other, the only person I have ever seen Merlin act that way with was his little sitter Iya. Arthur does not know of his magic that I know of and if he does he has not turned him into Uther and I don't think even if he did know he would never hurt him he would fight for him. Merlin will not be alone when he faces his cousin and Merlin has grown very resourceful when it comes to fighting and hiding. Our daughter is a seer maybe she will see something tonight and if she does not I am sure that we will see a Merlin Falcon tomorrow not a raven because Ailya said if the won she would send we would see a Merlin falcon tomorrow but if they did not we would see a raven I am sure we will see a falcon tomorrow. But for tonight you need to rest you have not slept in two days there is nothing we can do but wait and we have to be strong until we know for sure. Call it a mothers intuition but I am sure he will be alright. That flame was starting to rekindle maybe this is what it will take to make the flame burn again." Balinor smiled at Hunith knowing she was right all they could do was wait

"Your right. Let's get some sleep all we can do now is hope." Balinor kissed Hunith on the forehead and pulled her into his embrace which she snuggled into. After a few minutes they went to their bed and fell asleep in each other's arms.

(**In Camelot an hour before sunset)**

Merlin was standing in an abandoned guard room that no one ever came to anymore, his sword resting on his right shoulder, as he was looking at the floor. He had finally figured out all his feeling about Arthur and his feelings and fears of tonight and what would come of it. Now he was just waiting taking in the calm before the storm knowing Ailya would come and get him when the time was ready. which would be anytime.

Merlin looked over his shoulder as he heard footsteps he saw Ailya standing there she looked at him and said "Merlin, It's time." Merlin looked back at the floor for a second and said out loud "Now it begins and ends tonight." He then sheathed his sword and followed Ailya to her room where she said she and his other knights had something that his father wanted them to give him but had to wait until then to do it.

Once they were in Ailya's room Merlin saw a chest sitting on the end of her bed and his knights where standing on the sides of the room. Merlin fingered the latch as Ailya said "Your father thought that if we bring this it might bring you a sense of security and he tweaked it so that it would work for you now, all of us added a spell or two of our own to give you a bit more security." Merlin lifted the lid of the chest and what he saw inside made him gasp. He brushed his hand against the breast plate inside until his fingers rested on the crest on the chest it was his family crest two rearing dragons with a flaming sword, with the tip down, in between them. It was his armor, he smiled and put it on.

Once it was fully on and he buckled his sword belt again he closed his eyes savoring the feel of the familiar metal against him. He felt that flame inside him that had only been starting to smolder again since coming to Camelot burst into the raging inferno that it had once been.

Merlin opened his eyes and turned to his knights and said something that they had not heard since the day he had left and had always said before they left on a mission. "If we die tonight, then we die fighting, but not before we give them hell." He paused his friends beaming at the familiar words then he said "Let go give my cousin hell and make him rue the day he crossed us." then they headed to the gate where they were meeting Arthur and Leon. It was time for Merlin to face his past and now he was ready.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry I have not updated in a while thanks for all the wonderful reviews this chapter was hard for me to write but I finally put all the pieces together so I hope you enjoy please review.**

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**Chapter 6**

When all of them reached the courtyard Merlin saw that the auburn mare that he had used whenever he was going out with Arthur was already saddled and waiting, Merlin had already told Arthur that he like to saddle his own horse and he allowed no one else to do it for him "Arthur you prat." Merlin said shaking his head Ailya asked teasingly "What did he do now?" "He knows I like to saddle my own horse and that I will let no one else do it for me and I have saddled his and the knights as well as my own for four years. But today he had the nerve to have someone saddle my horse for me." Merlin replied

With a small smile Ailya said "You know that you do allow only two people to saddle your horse other than yourself." Merlin chuckled and said "And you know that I only allow you to do it because I love you and because the one time I told you not to you practically bit my head off. You know I can't deny my little sister anything especially when she does that doe eyed puppy dog look that she disarms me with every time. Anyone else tries to saddle my horse, I get pay back. Arthur though I know is just trying to make it easier for me tonight because of what is going on so I will let it pass this one time but if he does it again he going to get some really bad bruising and sore muscles the next time we spar as payback. Let's go." Ailya planted a kiss on Merlin's left cheek and started to walk towards her horse as Merlin did the same with his. After he mounted his horse he turned to his knights, his friends, and said "All of you be careful and stay safe I don't want to lose any of you not so soon after getting you back. So just try and be careful tonight. Move out." Merlin took the lead setting his horse into a slow trot, Ailya falling in behind him as his second in command then the others making two lines of two right behind them. They made it to the gate where Arthur and Leon were waiting as they passed them Arthur fell in right next the Merlin while Leon was right next to Ailya as he was Arthur's second in command.

Once they reached the tree line Merlin heard Leon whisper something to Ailya and a second later the fell back a few paces to give Arthur and Merlin some privacy Merlin knew that Arthur wanted to talk to him just by that movement. Sure enough two minutes later Arthur spoke "Merlin just in case we don't make it through this there is something I need to tell you." Merlin was tense and already had a lot on his mind and as usual he tired to shut Arthur down with a short terse answer "Why couldn't you have told me earlier if it is so important." Arthur caught on to what Merlin was doing and said "Merlin don't do that, I know your tense but I need you to hear this so please don't shut me out not this time. You don't have to do this alone anymore and don't have to hide from me. Please just listen that is all I ask."

Merlin sighed nodding his head which Arthur took as a sign to keep going "Before I met you Merlin I was an arrogant, self centered bully but most of that was just a mask to hid how insecure I felt all the time. You saw right through that mask, you challenged me every step of the way. You treated me like anyone else you did not treat me like I was the prince or gave me respect I did not deserve. You saw me as just another person and you became my first true friend, one who did not want anything from me, you were not friends with the crown prince you were friends with the person behind the title. I knew after a while I could turn to you with anything my problems, my insecurities, I could vent on you and then you would give would give me advice on what to do or you would know just what to say to put my mind at ease and get my life back on track. After a while you grew into something more than just a best friend. It took me all day to figure it out because you know how bad I am about figuring out feelings especially my own and I found that with you I found my first true sense of family, I found a brother in all blood. But now after tonight if we win you'll be leaving and might never see you again and that hurt me more than anything because you are the only person I trust and more than anything it hurts that I am going to lose you. I just had to let you know that no matter where you go you will always have a place here and I will never forget everything you have done for me because I think of you as family to me, as a little brother even though you are only a year younger than me, and no matter what that will never change. I am glad that I met you because you changed me for the better and I am glad of it and If given the chance I would not change a thing because you made me who I am today you made me want be a better person than I was and I thank you for that."

Merlin smiled and asked "Arthur I made you a promise not three years ago do you remember what that was?" Merlin looked at Arthur as he said "Truthfully no I don't." Merlin chuckled saying "I promised you that I would be happy to be your servant to the day I died. Only one thing has changed with that promise and that is the servant part because I do not have to hide who I really am anymore. But when we win tonight yes I will be going home but I will not be going without you. Tonight I make you a new promise that I will never leave you because I think of you as a brother as well and Camelot had become as much my home as Anelya is. I promise you I will always be there whether it here in Camelot or in Anelya I will always be at your side. I already have a plan I am going to set into motion after tonight and when I go home you'll be coming with me. You can think of me as your glorified body guard or at least we can let your father think that but behind closed doors it will be as it always has been." Arthur smiled, looked at Merlin and said "Well I am guess you're stuck with me now idiot." Merlin just smiled back and said "I would not have it any other way prat."

_**(Thirty minutes later)** _

Arthur pulled his horse to a stop signaling for Merlin to do the same. After the group had stopped Arthur said "The clearing is just up ahead that path to our right leading into the trees will lead us right to it. We should hide the horses here that way they won't get spooked and bolt and that way your cousin won't know anyone else it here because the only other way into the clearing is on the other side of it. you should get into place Merlin I lead the others to their places it you follow that path it will lead you right to the center of the clearing and it is big enough for this fight. I will get the others into place you have my word." Merlin took a deep breath then said everyone else "Alright listen up I am going on ahead to get into place Arthur will lead you where you need to go do as he says and keep to the plan we are the ones who are coming out of this alive. And if we die tonight, we die fighting, but not before we give my cousin hell. Stay safe all of you and good luck." Merlin got off his horse and handed his reigns to Arthur then went towards the path that Arthur had pointed out and about ten minutes later he was in the clearing. Not long after he sensed everyone was in place and ready. Merlin drew his sword and rested it on his shoulder all they could do now was wait.

_**(Ten minutes after sundown.) **_

Night had fallen and Merlin was scanning the area with his magic searching for his cousin just as he was about to pull his magic back for the third time he felt it. To lure his cousin to his trap he sent out a burst of magic that would lead his cousin to him like a beacon and sure enough five minutes later his cousin, three sorcerers, and the one Cota he had came into the clearing.

Merlin's eyes narrowed at the sight of his cousin who had stopped five paces away from him. Merlin's cousin sneered "Hello Merlin seems I was right you did come alone and you will die alone. You look exactly the same just a little taller your still no match for me." Merlin's voice was cold and hard when he spoke "Malith you have not changed a bit still power hungry and spiteful. You think you are still dealing with the same naïve boy I used to be and because of that if I win will spare you but you are wrong. You crossed too many lines and because of that I have trained myself into the ground while in hiding so when this day came I would be strong enough to take you and you have no idea who I really am. If you recall the druids prophecy about Emrys and who and what he is then you will know who I really am and what you are up against. If I die here tonight I promise you I will take you down with me."

Arthur was listening to the whole thing but what scared him was the cold hard tone that Merlin was using it seemed wrong when coming from him when he is usually care free and happy Arthur could not help but hope that he never crossed Merlin and have that tone directed at himself. Malith looked at Merlin for a moment and then laughed saying "Your bluffing if Emrys was here then the once and future king would be here as well and he is not so you can't be Emrys and there's three of us and a Cota and one of you. You will die here tonight and then I will take you head home to your father and take the throne again with him and your mother and sister in the dungeons for their lives as a example." Malith laughed manically until Merlin spoke up and said threateningly "You will not touch my family Malith and who said I was alone."

Arthur heard the signal and came to stand at Merlin's right sword drawn while Ailya did the same on his right. The others fell into place as well surrounding Malith and his force. once everyone was in place Merlin spoke again "As I said Malith I am Emrys and Arthur Pendragon is the once and future king. Now you are outnumbered and outclassed you will be the one die here tonight and you will never harm another living soul again." Malith paled a little but said menacingly "If I die then I will take your destiny and love with me." Merlin smiled deviously saying "You will not be able to touch them I can promise you that." Just then the battle started by Malith sending a spell meant to kill at Arthur but Merlin instantly put a magic shield around them and Malith's spell hit it and was harmless. the battle commenced Merlin put a shield around Leon and Arthur so that they could not be harmed by the spells flying around and swords would not harm them. the shields only took a fraction of his concentration. Arthur was hitting Malith with everything he had while Malith was too busy trying to send killing spells at Merlin which Merlin was blocking with relative ease and then attacking back but not kill him yet but weaken him.

The battle raged for a good thirty minutes before two of the sorcerers on Malith's side were killed and the Cota was under Ailya's control. Ailya had the Cota kill the other sorcerer and then when she was about to destroy it, it rushed at her and just as she destroyed it she was bitten on her arm. She cried out and fell to the ground writhing in pain Merlin cried out her name but she yelled through the pain she was in "Finish it then you can worry about me!" Arthur had Malith on his knees bleeding from multiple wounds and many of them were deep. Merlin stood tall, sword drawn, face set as he walked over to Malith. He looked down at his cousin and asked "Do you have any last words before you die." Malith looked up at him and said "I was wrong about you, you are a great warrior, and you are Emrys. you will make a fine king and your father would be proud. I am nothing compared to you so kill me and get it over with."

Merlin looked down at his cousin and said "Malith of Anelya you have committed treason and murder multiple times in the last eight years and as prince of Anelya I sentence you to death by the sword. May your soul find rest and repentance in Avalon." With that Merlin put his hand in Malith's neck and ran his sword through his heart in for a quick death. He pulled his sword out, letting his cousins body fall to the ground. His trial was over his cousin was dead he did not have to hide ever again.

Ailya was on the ground trying to keep still but the pain rushing through her from the venom of the Cota's bite was excruciating she cried out and Merlin rushed to her side. He looked at the wound and knew it was beyond his ability to heal because healing spells were never his strong point but he knew that Alith was the best healer in their group that was one of his strongest points in magic "Alith get over here!" Merlin yelled Alith ran to his side. Once he was there Merlin said "The Cota bit her just as she destroyed you need to heal her. You are the only one here who knows the healing spell and has the knowledge to do it right you know that I was never any good at healing spells please heal her." Alith looked at Merlin and said "I will do all I can but a tooth is broken off inside the wound I will need to remove it first which should only take a minute but I will do everything I can to save her once I am done we can move her and find a safe place to rest for the night." Merlin nodded "Do what you have to." Merlin looked at Ailya who was looking at him with tear filled eyes as Merlin took her uninjured hand and said "You'll be just fine and I will be right here I won't leave so don't leave me ok."

Ailya just nodded not trusting herself to speak." Alith took a good ten minutes doing the spell to remove the tooth, cleanse the wound, then remove the venom, and seal the wound. By that time Ailya had passed out Merlin still held her hand as he turned to Alith and asked "Will she be ok?" "She will be fine by morning the venom had been purged from her system, and she will make a full recovery her arm will just be sore for a few days." Alith informed him Merlin let out a sigh of relief.

Arthur came back from scouting the area for a nearby safe place to rest just as Merlin sighed. Arthur kneeled down beside Merlin and said "I found a cave not far from here it is big enough for all of us I already lit a fire inside it and I already moved the horses there are right outside the cave we should get moving." he paused then looked at Ailya and asked "Will she be alright?" Merlin looked at Arthur and put a hand on his shoulder saying "She will be just fine. Thank you for standing by me tonight whenever I thought I had no strength left you kept me going you gave me the strength to keep fighting so thank you for being here." Arthur clapped Merlin on the back and said "Isn't that what brothers are supposed to do? I will always be there Merlin you won't get rid of me that easy. Now let's get out of here you idiot." Merlin just laughed and nodded.

Merlin carried Ailya in his arms to the cave that Arthur found once everyone was there and their bedrolls had been set up and some food eaten. All but Arthur and Merlin were asleep. Merlin was sitting next to Arthur watching over Ailya he knew he would get no sleep tonight. Merlin was stood to go to the fire to put some more wood into it while trying to hid his injury that he had not asked anyone to tend to because he thought it was not that bad. But as he stood he let out a gasp of pain and clutched his side, he stood straight after a second and pulled his hand away it was covered in blood Arthur noticed right away and said "Merlin your wounded why didn't you tell anyone?" Merlin tried to play it off saying "It is a superficial wound it's nothing." Arthur crossed his arms over his chest and said incredulously "Your hand is covered in blood and now blood is seeping through you shirt that is not superficial now sit down while I wake Alith and get him to look at it." Merlin said "Arthur I'm fine I have dealt with worse than this before."

Arthur looked at Merlin and said "I don't care, now you sit down and let Alith look at that wound and heal it do you understand me. I will not lose you because of blood loss because are too self sacrificing to let someone care for your wound. Now sit." Merlin was impressed by Arthurs insistence and protectiveness but grudgingly sat while Arthur woke Alith telling him what was wrong. Alith shot awake when he heard that Merlin was wounded and as he worked on Merlin's wound was scolding him for being such an idiot and not telling him earlier, much to Arthur's amusement and Merlin's chagrin.

Merlin was sitting next to Ailya when she woke the next morning everyone else was already breaking camp but Merlin had refused the leave Ailya's side. Ailya say up looking at Merlin who pulled her into his embrace the second she sat up saying "Thank the gods you are alright. I was worried about you." He pulled back to look into her eyes as she cheekily responded "You won't get rid of me that easy even if I did die I would haunt you till you joined me in Avalon." Merlin smiled and kissed her lightly at first the deepened the kiss for a long moment till the broke apart for need of air. Ailya chuckled and blushed as Merlin smiled lovingly at her then said "We have to go everything is already done. Once we talk to Uther I want to talk to you alone alright." Ailya nodded as Merlin helped her up. Soon everyone was on their horses and heading back to Camelot.

Merlin had never felt more free than he did at that moment he had face his past and won, now he could build a future for himself where he had everyone he cared about in it and would not have to lose them. Merlin could not help the smile that spread across his face at the liberation, relief, and freedom he felt. That fire that had burned in him all those years ago that had burned out after he had to flee was burning again brighter and stronger than it ever had been and he knew it would never die out again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Before the group left Ailya called to a Merlin falcon in the area and using her gift told it to send on the message through the grape vine till it reached Anelya and once it got there for the Falcon to fly out over the kingdom where the king would see. Merlin was curious what was going on and asked "So what is the message you are relaying with a Merlin falcon?" Ailya looked at Merlin smiling "I told your father that if we won I would send a Merlin falcon but if we lost I would send a raven. The Merlin falcons will relay the message to each other till it reaches home I estimate it will take until midday by then your father will have seen the falcon and will know that you are alright and are coming home." Merlin smiled and said "Home it has been a while since I have been able to say that I can go home. But there are a few things to be done first but they should not take long we should be able to set out by midday tomorrow." Ailya just smiled no words were needed for them to know what the other felt. Arthur cut in saying "Merlin I think we should get going you know how my father is if I am not back when he thinks I should be he sends out a damn search party so we should probably get back." Merlin just nodded and got on his auburn mare and fell in next to Arthur as all the knights did the same and headed back to Camelot.

(**Twenty minutes later at the front gates.)**

Merlin was looking up at the guards patroling the walls as the passed through and could tell that one of them was relaying the order to tell the king that they had returned. Merlin smiled as he said to Arthur "You know Arthur I think they might have just went to tell your father we are back." Arthur smiled back and started their usual banter "And how would you know that idiot?" "Because you unobservant prat I just saw the guard run off to tell him and I will bet you he will be meeting us in the courtyard alone with Gaius." Merlin retorted then they launched into their usual fond insults that they threw at each other on daily basis and by the time they got to the courtyard they were laughing so hard that they could barely stay on their horses.

Just as Merlin predicted Uther and Gaius were there waiting right on the stairs of the front gate. Merlin got off his horse as did everyone else. Gaius walked up to him and hugged him which Merlin returned when they broke apart Merlin said "We did it Gaius, Malith is dead I can go finally go home." Gaius smiled and replied "I knew you could do it I am so proud of you my boy."

Merlin then turned to Uther and bowed then said "Sire I want to thank you for allowing your son and one of his knights to help me and my knights fight my cousin Malith. The fought well. I am proud to have fought with such strong warriors. But I have some things I would like to discuss with you about the alliance you wished to form between Camelot and Anelya. I would like to talk to you about today if possible because I plan on leaving tomorrow around midday and I need to talk to you before then and I would like Arthur to be there because my request involves him." Uther nodded and said "If you would like to talk about them now I would be more than open to it." "Very well then lead the way." Merlin replied.

(**Twenty minutes later)**

"You have told me all the things you would like sire and I will be sure to bring them up to my father but I have request to make." Merlin said "And what request it that?" Uther asked "I would like to take Arthur with me when I go home to start the alliance there. I promise you no harm will come to him I won't allow it and they would have to kill me to get to him. I know my father would see it as a sign of goodwill to allow your only son and hair to come to Anelya just to start the alliance. I negotiated my first peace and alliance treaty and thirteen all on my own. My father thought that it would be good to for I am king to know how to negotiate a treaty among other things. But I also have personal reason for wanting to bring Arthur along I want to show him my home and have him meet my family because Arthur is a dear friend to me and it would mean a lot to me to have him there. I would really appreciate it if you gave your consent to this, we would return within a month's time because it takes fortnight to get there, a week to stay and make all the necessary arrangements and for me to visit with my family for a little bit, then another fortnight to get back. I swear on my life that no one will harm him they will have to go through me and my knights to get anywhere near him." Uther thought it over then turned to Arthur and asked "Arthur what do you think of t his arrangement do you think that you going there is a good idea?"

Arthur did not smile but his eyes told everyone how happy he was with the idea as he said "Yes father I do I think it would be a good idea for me to go to Anelya with Merlin for all the reasons provided." Uther was silent for a moment then said "Alright Arthur pack whatever you are going to take with you and be ready to leave by midday tomorrow. you are both dismissed" Arthur and Merlin got up, bowed to Uther, then left.

Once they got back to Arthur's chambers they burst out laughing. When Arthur and Merlin finally had some composure back Arthur said "My father is such an idiot he thinks this alliance will benefit him more then you but you turned the tables on him. You're a smooth talking devil when it comes to getting something I never noticed how good you were before." Merlin laughed "Yes well experience and being around you all day every day you tend to pick up a few things. Well you should probably start packing we will be leaving tomorrow. Then get some rest it is a long road ahead. Goodnight Arthur." "Goodnight Merlin." Arthur replied.

(**the next day mid day)**

Arthur was waiting for Merlin out in the courtyard they had about a half an hour before they had to leave and Arthur had told Merlin to meet him early. "Arthur what is it you wanted to show me?" Merlin asked as he came down the steps Arthur smiled and said "You'll see, now follow me." Arthur led Merlin to his personal stables and up to the same auburn mare that Merlin always rode when ever going out with Arthur "What is this Arthur?" Merlin asked confused "I giving her to you she responds to you better than me and you are the only one who had ridden her in the last four years. So I am giving her to you she is yours to keep as a gift from me." "Thank you Arthur this means a lot to me I won't forget this. The others are waiting we should probably get underway we have a lot of distance to cover before nightfall."

Arthur nodded smiling as he lead his own horse out Merlin right behind him. Soon they were underway not knowing that by the end of this trip choices would have to be made that would change their lives forever.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

(**A fortnight later)**

"Merlin we should stop and make camp." Arthur said, the sun had set almost an hour ago and Merlin wanted to keep pushing on because they were only a few hours from his home. "But we're only a few hours away." Merlin persisted Arthur understood why Merlin wanted to keep going but also knew that danger of doing so "Merlin you know as well as I do that if we keep going is only asking for trouble. We can start out at first light then you can see your people and family at the same time when we get there it will make it all the more worth it. So let's set up camp for the night and head out tomorrow." Merlin sighed "You're right. If my memory serves there is a clearing up ahead right through those trees. it is defensible and it will serve for a good place to make camp." Arthur nodded and followed Merlin to the clearing.

The camp was set up very quickly with the aid of magic Arthur was amazed at how fast it was done but did not comment on it instead he just smiled at how amazing his friends were. He had become friends with all of Merlin's knights over the time he had spent with them. Soon they had a stew ready and eaten. Merlin took first watch and Arthur refused to go to sleep so they just talked about inconsequential things until something that had slipped Merlin's mind with all the chaos that had happened a fortnight ago came up. "Arthur there is one thing I forgot to tell you about my family it completely slipped my mind with all the things that were happening and it may cause some trouble if your father figures it out." Merlin said feeling a little guilty about not remembering this earlier "I can understand something slipping your mind you were under a lot of stress. So what could cause problems if my father finds out."

Merlin asked "What do you know of the dragon lords?" "Only what my father told me. That they could control dragons and that they were evil because what they did was to close to magic and that all of them were dead. But I don't believe that they were evil. I don't believe any of the stuff my father told me was evil anymore." Arthur replied. It made Merlin's heart swell with pride at Arthur's statement because that meant that he was finally thinking on his own not trying to be what his father wanted him to be but becoming his own person with ideas and thoughts not tainted by his father's way of thinking. "There is one dragon lord left and that is my father. Uther used him to capture the last dragon on the pretense of wanting to make peace with it. But as soon as the great dragon was captured he tried to capture my father and have him killed but my uncle Gaius helped him escape. If your father makes the connection between my father as king of Anelya and my father as a dragon lord he may come to Anelya to kill my father and me. I only wanted to tell you so that you know it could happen though he has not made the connection yet so it may not happen but I only needed to tell you so that you would be prepared for it." Arthur nodded saying "Well let's just hope that he never makes the connection. If does I know I will have to choose between him and you and I don't know who I will chose." "Arthur he's your father if you choose him I would understand and I will not think less of you for it. Just do what you think is right that is all I ask and if that is siding with your father then do it." Merlin replied reassuring his friend.

They talked all night and when first light came Merlin woke everyone else and they broke camp just as fast as they had made it which amazed Arthur even more. Arthur could not deny that Magic could be a beautiful thing that never ceased to amaze him.

(**A half hour later)**

The party was finally at the front gate of the city and Merlin heart was beating so hard it felt like it was going to hammer its way right out of his chest. He rode through the gate with Arthur at his side and his knights right behind him. People in the lower town started to gather around the group to catch a glimpse of who the knights had brought with them some started to recognize Merlin. Whispers were spreading through the crowd, then Merlin saw some of his friends who he had had in the lower town before he had had to flee. Merlin jumped off his horse and walked among his people greeting his friends asking how they had been, how many children they had, what they did for a living and anything else he could think of.

(**In the throne room of the city)**

Balinor was going through documents and signing them while talking with Hunith about what they would do once their son returned to them when the door to the throne room banged open and a servant by the name Alan came running in. He bowed and said "Sire there are whispers spreading form the lower town that the Knights you sent to Camelot have returned and that two young man are with them some of the whispers are saying that one of them is our lost prince." Balinor was on his feet at once along with Hunith saying "Then we should get out to courtyard immediately thank you for telling us. You may go." Alan bowed one more time then Balinor turned to Hunith smiling saying "We should get Aria and get to the courtyard I want to be there ready to greet him I want hold my son again to know he is real and still alive." Hunith was smiling just a brightly as she said "If I know our daughter she is already there. You know she had been scrying them every day since the that Merlin falcon showed itself she would know before any of us when her brother will be here she is probably already waiting. So let's go I want to see our son again too."

**(Right outside the courtyard of the castle three minutes later)**

Merlin walked among his people as he headed through the archway that lead to the courtyard his knights and Arthur were following behind him. All of them where smiling at how happy Merlin was Arthur was thinking "_So this is my friend when he does not have to pretend not to be who he is. This is my friend when he is truly happy. I am glad I __get to be here to see it."_

Once they were in the courtyard Merlin stopped in his tracks at the steps into the castle where three people stood to greet their party. The king took a slow step forward and then another until he was standing right in front of Merlin. Merlin's breath hitched in his throat as he looked at his father. "Merlin." Balinor breathed almost not daring to believe his eyes "Father it is good to see you again." Merlin said tears of happiness forming in his eyes. Balinor laughed and hugged his son saying "I can't believe your home I've missed you so much my son." Merlin melted into his father's embrace as he said "I have never been happier to be home father I have missed everything and everyone." Balinor released his son looking him in the eye as he said "And all of us could not be more happy to have you home."

"Merlin!" A young woman yelled as she ran to Merlin throwing her arms around him "Aria it is good to see you I can't believe how beautiful you've become. my little sister is all grown up. It has been too long." Merlin replied laughing a little Aria looked at her brother saying "I saw you would be coming today I have been practicing my scrying but I could never see you before. I think you blocked anyone from scrying you when you had to flee but once Malith was defeated I could see you again. I have been keeping track of your progress so I saw you were coming today and I can't be more happy that you're home ." she finished by hugging her brother again." When they broke apart it was Hunith's turn "Mother it is good to see you made it home and that we can all be here together on this day." Hunith cupped Merlin's cheek in her hand and said "I am as well Merlin it is good to have you home."

After a few moments of tearful but happy reunions Merlin, followed by Arthur, followed his father to a privet room adjacent to the throne room that was used for privet affairs. Once everyone was there Merlin started with his story of how his life in Camelot was and how Arthur was a dear friend. He also told his family how Arthur did not share his father's views. He ended by telling them about how Uther has not made the connection between Balinor as king and dragon lord and that Uther wants and alliance and the only reason that Merlin said maybe was because of his destiny to protect Arthur. After two hours Merlin's story was finished and his whole family and Arthur were silent but Arthur was the first to speak "Well I guess I owe you more thanks than I thought Merlin and I am glad it is you that I owe it to." Merlin smiled at Arthur and said "It is just part of my job as a friend you prat." "Well I guess that means you are stuck to me all more Idiot and you are not getting rid of me any time soon." then they launched into their banter for a few minutes until Balinor cleared his throat and said "Well I can see what Hunith been talking about, you two do act just like brothers and from what I can see you your both worse than Merlin and Aria ever were." Arthur bowed his head saying "Sorry sire I did not mean to be rude it is just easy for either of us to pull the other into a game of wits and all the insults hold no meaning to them. They are just fond insults please forgive me I did not mean any disrespect."

Balinor was shocked but said "I did not mean that as a bad thing Arthur I am glad that my son had you as a friend while in Camelot. You are more than welcome here and feel free to be yourself here without any consequence you are a friends and guest and will be treated as such. I think that Merlin would love to show you around." Merlin smiled and said "I would be more than happy to tomorrow because I am exhausted I think all of us need some rest, we have been traveling for a little over a fortnight so I think Arthur would like some rest as well." Balinor agreed to this and said that the next day they Merlin could show Arthur around after he was officially crowned prince of Anelya which had Merlin finally notice that the whole castle had been buzzing about that on the way in. Tomorrow would be a big day but little did anyone know that tomorrow night would change everything in both kingdoms forever.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Sorry I have not updated in a while had a terrible case of writers block I hope you enjoy this knew chapter for I am brining some old friends into the mix and we will have a little fun so hope you enjoy and please review bye**_

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**Chapter 8**

Merlin woke at dawn the next morning knowing that he had told Arthur he would wake him in two hours and that none of his family would be up this early either it was just a habit for him from being a servant for the past four years. He decided he was going to go down to the tavern in the lower town to gauge the mood of his people they all knew who he was and that they did not have to act different around him for most of them were his friends. Merlin got himself dressed noticing his father must have had clothes made for him with the aid of magic last night because the clothes he found had not been there the night before. It felt a little strange being in the clothes of a noble again but it was also a good feeling because it meant that he was home and did not have to hide anymore. Before he left he noticed two things on his nightstand, a ring and a dagger. Both of the items were his from when he was fifteen, the ring he had received from his father when he was ten it was the royal seal every prince carried it after the age of ten it had just started to fit his middle finger when he had to flee. The dagger had been a gift from his little sister on his eighth birthday, the top of the hilt of the blade was in the shape of two rearing dragons, while the hilt right above the pummel was a blue sapphire, and the blade itself was infused with magic so that when he used a specific spell the blade would light itself on fire because fire spells had always been a strong point of his. When he was a baby he had accidently set some things on fire in one of his tantrums from what his mother had told him.

He smiled at the two items, first he grabbed the ring and placed it on the middle finger of his right hand thinking to himself "_Wow it fits perfectly now."_ then he grabbed the dagger and tied it to his sword belt and finally tied the belt around his waist. Merlin reveled in the familiar weight at his hip he had not realized how much he had missed the freedom to be who he was and all of who he was.

Merlin finally walked out of the castle ten minutes after waking up and went to the lower town. When he stopped at the tavern he read the name and laughed remembering when the tavern had been commissioned when he was five. The name on the sign was, the rearing dragon, his father had named it that with his father his idea of naming things had everything to do with dragons and he had no imagination when it came to naming things. His mother had named him because she knew of his father's lack of imagination. He laughed for a moment shaking his head then walked in to the tavern and went to stand in the corner to watch his people.

He had been standing there for a good five minutes when he heard a familiar laugh that he had not heard in about a year and a half and then another laugh joined it that he had not heard for almost two years. Merlin's head snapped towards the sounds and he saw a the back of a head that had long brown hair that he would recognize anywhere then the man sitting across from him had short black hair and a bit of stubble on his face like he had not shaved in about a week but he was still recognizable. Merlin was so transfixed with the two men that he did not notice the other man sitting with them.

Merlin decided he was going to have some fun with the two men because they were friends of his after all they had kept in contact with him after they had left he just had no idea when they had met and started traveling together. He snuck up behind the man with brown hair until he was right behind him none of them had noticed him yet. "Excuse me I think you two need to come with me because I have some question on what the hell you two are doing here." Merlin had a smile on his face as the brown haired man stiffened at his voice and the man across from him eyes had gone wide with shock as he noticed him. The man with brown hair turned around and looked at Merlin, his eyes traveled up and down Merlin taking in his appearance then asked in a his usual loud voice "Merlin, what the hell are you doing here, where is Arthur, why do you have a sword at your hip if you are so clumsy with one, and what they hell are you wearing?" Merlin chuckled and said "Good to see you too Gwain, I answer your questions soon enough after I figure out what I want to know. How did you meant Lancelot and what the hell are you two doing here?" Lancelot was the one who answered "Well Perceval and I-" Merlin finally noticed the tree of a man sitting next to Lancelot and said "Perceval it is good to see you again but I will ask my other questions in a minute." "Of course sire." Perceval said but Merlin smiled "Perce you know better I knew you till I was twelve years old and you only ever called me sire when you wanted to annoy me so don't even go there." Perceval just chucked Gwain was looking a little confused while Lancelot was looking stunned but he continued with his story "Well Perceval and I were in the wood on the outskirts of the city and we had not slept in three days so we were dead on out feet. We stumbled upon Gwain's camp he thought we were bandits but after we explained that we were not and that we were just traveling he offered to let us spend the night with him but then he ended up getting me drunk Perceval was the only sober one there-" Merlin interrupted with a laugh "That sounds like Gwain." Gwain chuckled to and Lancelot smiled then went on "We found out that we both knew you and we both were your friends but we also found out we were both traveling here so we both just decided to stay together while we traveled here." Lancelot paused then turned to Perceval and asked "How is it you know Merlin Perce I know you were born here in Anelya but Merlin was not, I don't think he has ever been here before and what did your contact tell you this morning?" Perceval looked at Merlin who nodded to tell him it was ok. "Well I will tell you what my contact told me first I have told you all about my time in Anelya and about the royal family, I was friends with the prince until I had to leave when I was twelve. I am the same age as the prince. When I was fifteen my contact sent me a message saying that the prince and his mother had to flee and that Anelya had been taken by no other than the princes own cousin. As you know the king had taken back Anelya about three months ago. I received another message from my contact about a fortnight and two days ago that the lost prince had been rumored to be hiding in Camelot as one of the lower class and that his cousin had escaped the princes father and was going there to kill him but the king had the foresight to send the princes friends and best knights all five where of the Valnerlia the elite force of knights that the prince leads ahead of him to find the prince first. Once they got there the prince revealed himself after his knights had said their story to the king of Camelot. The prince has magic just like his father and sister but he was born with it the only one that has ever happened to. Arthur fought with the prince against the princes cousin and actually accepted the princes and his knights magic with open arms because he was the princes friend. My contact told me today that the prince of Anelya and prince Arthur of Camelot arrived here in the company of the knights that the king sent to protect the prince yesterday right before we arrived and that today the prince of Anelya is going to be named crown prince and hair to the throne because that should have been done when he was eighteen but he was in hiding at the time so it could not be done and he is now twenty three that is actually at noon today." Perceval finished his explanation and Merlin could see Lancelot making the connections between himself and the prince of Anelya from what Perceval had said and the conversation that Perceval and Merlin had shared just minutes before. Merlin saw the realization in Lancelot's eyes as he said "Merlin, Perce called you sire a few minutes ago, he is the same age as you, your carrying a sword at you hip that was not made in Camelot, and you're in clothes made for a noble does that have anything to do with what Perce just explained?" Merlin smiled his usual lopsided grin and said "Yes is does, you do not have to keep my secret about my magic anymore Lancelot Arthur knows the only person here who does not know is Gwain, by the way sorry Gwain Lancelot only found out by accident and the only other person in Camelot who knew until now was my uncle Gaius. I am the lost prince of Anelya I could not tell anyone in order to protect myself and my mother if my cousin had ever found out before had he would have hunted me down and killed me I was lucky he did not find me sooner than he did. I still have the scare on my neck from the curse he had put on me the first time which the curse had been lifted thanks to a druid healer we found not long after we fled but I still have the scar. I am actually glad you are all here I know Arthur will be happy to see you and to meet you Perce I want all three of you come with me to the castle I want Lancelot and Gwain to meet my family and Perce I think they would like to see you again. I have got to wake up Arthur in about ten minutes so come on you three lets go." Merlin paused then turned to Gwain and said "Gwain please tell me that you have enough money to pay for what you have drunk today because if I have to pay for your tab again only difference is I have the money to do this time and don't have to ask Arthur to do it because I was in hiding I will taking it out on you in a spar and trust me you will not like it." Gwain laughed and said "I have enough money Merlin I barely drunk anything this morning." Gwain paid the tavern keeper and then Merlin led all of them to the castle and inside it until they got to Arthur's room.

Merlin told them to wait outside while he got Arthur up and ready because they are actually suppose to meet his family and Ailya for breakfast this morning. Then Merlin went into Arthur's room throwing open the currents like he usually did yelling "rise and shine lazy daisy." Arthur groaned and said "Merlin go away." he tired to grabbed the blanket but ended up grabbing thin air where the blanket had been just moments before Arthur growled "Damn it forgot he had magic." Merlin laughed and said "Arthur we are suppose to meet my family for breakfast in ten minutes so get up." Arthur just grabbed a goblet on his nightstand and threw it at Merlin who caught it in his hand before it hit his head while saying "You know I am really getting tired of you throwing things at me when you don't want to do something or when you just want a laugh so how about you see how it feels for once." then Merlin threw the goblet back at Arthurs head with accurate aim. When the goblet hit Arthur head Arthur jumped about a foot of the bed while in the process falling right off the bed, then he jumped up of the floor yelling "Merlin!" but what he saw made him feel a little afraid Merlin stood there with a scowl on his face that Arthur associated with Merlin being pissed off and Merlin had his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes had a tiny storm in them as he said "You know ever since I have met you, you have loved throwing things at people especially me. you have thrown goblets, books, cutlery, pillows, practically anything you could thrown at me aim for my head every time though sometimes you aimed a little lower and ended up hitting my chest or back depending on if I was facing you or not. I have gotten really sick and tired of it. From now on if you throw something at me I am going to be throwing something right back and it will most likely be the same thing that you threw at me whether I use my hands or my magic depends on how mad I am about it. Do you understand me?" Arthur was taken aback at how angry Merlin seemed to be Arthur said "I did not realize I did it that much or that it made you so angry I can promise you I will try not to throw things at anyone anymore though it is a habit but I will try and break it. You have my word." Merlin seemed to calm down enough with the promise and said "Fine I will accept that now we have about an hour and a half to get you ready and get to the dining hall so let's get you dressed in some regular clothes for now a closer to noon we'll come back here and get you dressed in those formal clothes I talked you into bringing. You told me you had some questions last night so after I get you ready I will answer as many as I can" Now Arthur was confused as he asked "You are going to helped me get dressed, you're not a prince in hiding as a servant anymore so why?" Merlin smiled his lopsided grin saying "Well prat I don't think any of the servant's here could put up with you for any length of time because none of my family treat any of our people including the servants like your father treats the ones in Camelot and like how you still sometimes do though not as bad as your father. Plus I thought I might as well give you some familiarity since all of this is still probably making your head reel." Arthur just laughed and nodded soon enough Arthur was dressed and they still had almost an hour and twenty minutes before they had to get going but before Merlin sat down by Arthur Merlin said "Before I answer any questions there are three people outside the door two of which we both know and have both saved your life, the other is an old friend of mine we were both knighted here together but his parents mostly his father forced him to leave though I never found out why." Merlin paused then yelled at the door "All right you three you can come in now I know you have been listening at the door for the last ten minutes so get in here!" Gwain entered first saying "How did you know we were listening at the door I thought we were very discreet." Lancelot and Perceval followed right after him just smiling. Merlin rolled his eyes and said "You may have thought you were being discreet Gwain but it was you who gave it away when I heard you chuckling two minutes ago right as I was telling Arthur why I was still acting like a servant to him. Now Arthur has a few questions for me and I know that you and Lancelot do as well so I will try and answer as many as I can in before we have to get the dining hall so I will answer Arthur's first then we will go from there." They all sat down and Merlin told Arthur to start with his questions the first one he asked almost made Merlin laugh "So my first question is a dual question, how old do your knights start their training and how the hell do you choose them?" Arthur asked Merlin smiled and said "All of the knights including myself as all but a few of the past princes of Anelya have been knights as well even after their coronations as king they remained knights as well start training at six. The way we choose our knights is at the same time every year we hold a type of tournament and any child in Anelya between the ages of six and seven can enter it whether they are of noble birth or a peasants child if the child feels that they have what it takes then they can enter. The tournament has many different parts to it, there is sword fighting at the tournament we use wooden swords though, there is a magic part each spell that is given for the children to try is harder than the last, there is a resourcefulness test which lasts usually about four hours and finally there is a test that combines all three sword, magic, and resourcefulness. At the end of the tournament the entries are put into training as either knights, or magic user or regular foot soldier if they really wanted to continue if they did not they could go back to doing what they were going to do before they had entered the tournament. The ones who only won in the magic and resourcefulness part of the tournament are put with a sorcerer who will train them in their gift to hone it in whatever they specialize in whether that is healing, defensive, or offensive magic. The ones who do well in just the sword and resourcefulness are placed with a trainer who will train them as foot soldiers. But only ten are places with the knights trainer and usually these ten children have passed all four parts of the tournament with flying colors. The princes of Anelya always enter the year they turn six my father was in the ten that were made knights he came in second best in the tournament. I came in first in the tournament when it was my time to compete and Ailya came in second. Actually I was born the day before the tournament, and the next tournament is in two days. You will get to see the tournament and how we choose our knights Arthur it is actually a rare thing for an outsider to get to see." Arthur was a little stunned at how young the knights of Anelya started to train but gob smacked at how they picked their knights and soldiers.

But then Arthur remember something else that Merlin had said "Merlin you said that you were born the day before the tourney and that the next one is in two days that means that anniversary of your birth is tomorrow am I correct?" Merlin shrugged and said "Well yes I guess it is but it is no big deal though just means I lived to see another year which I was very hard pressed to do when it came to saving your life every other day." Arthur shook his head saying "Your birth is something I definitely want to celebrate because if you had not been born I would not have the only person I consider my little brother in all but blood." "Yeah well from what I have heard from my sister and what I have seen since we got here yesterday you may have me as a brother legally one day." Merlin said knowing Arthur would catch on at least to the last part. Arthur stiffened and said "What are you talking about?" Merlin chuckled and said "I see how you look at my sister already Arthur and I will tell you this if you ever hurt her I will pummel you into next year. But she also is a seer and she told me last night that she had a vision the night before we arrived of you and here in Camelot with you as king and her as your queen. I may sometimes be unobservant but when it comes to my family not much escapes my notice. So I know you spend most of the day with my sister yesterday and I will tell you I talked to her and she seems to like you just as much as you seem to like her." Merlin pause seeing the look of fear in Arthur's eyes "Arthur I am not angry at you if I could choose a man for my sister I would have chosen you for her so get that look off your face I am glad for both of you. Now do you have any more questions for me?" Merlin finished snapping Arthur out of his daze. Arthur shook his head saying he had no more questions at the moment. Lancelot had no questions for him because he knew all about Merlin's childhood thanks to Perceval and Gwain was just his usual self trying to banter with Merlin.

Merlin had a two questions for Perceval "Perce why did your father make you leave he knew you were a knight but yet he forced you and your mother to leave why?" Perceval looked ashamed as he said "My father was a traitor and he thought he could make me turn traitor as well. I refused so to make sure I could not fight with your father he threatened to kill my mother if I did not go leave with them. I tied to warn you but he had me followed. So the night before the attack we left he died the next day in the attack slain by your father. I am ashamed because I found out later that your cousins main target had always been you, your father was just an added bonus. I am sorry for abandoning you." Perceval bowed his head while Merlin looked at him with a mixture of pity and compassion "Perce you father's treachery is not your fault, you did what you thought was right in order to protect your mother while staying loyal to myself and my father. I am glad that your left actually because at least you were safe some of our finest knights and friends died in that battle so that is at least one more of my friends I can count as alive. My only other question is how is your mother?" Perceval gave a small sad smile as he said "My mother died two winters past. She got sick and never recovered I have been traveling with Lancelot for almost two years I found him soon after my mother past." Merlin bowed his head remembering Perceval's mother she had been a kind woman "I am sorry to hear that I really liked your mother." Perceval just nodded after a few seconds Merlin smiled and said "All right we have about two minutes to get to the dining hall so we all better hurry up because if we don't get there on time my father will string me up and hang me out to dry and not because I was late."

Soon all of them were walking to the dinning all. They all got there with about twenty seconds to spare so Merlin just walked right in followed by Arthur who had the other three trailing behind him.

Balinor smiled at Perceval and Arthur then looked at Merlin and his smile got bigger as he sat down by Ailya then he noticed Lancelot and Gwain and said "Merlin I don't believe I have had the pleasure of meeting your other friends. " Merlin just chuckled and said "Father this Gwain and Lancelot I met them both in Camelot they also both saved Arthur's life both on separate occasions. Gwain save Arthur in a bar brawl that was started because I stood up for a woman and then a year before that Lancelot saved Arthur's life with my help by defeating the griffin that was attacking Camelot. Both of them got banished from Camelot by Uther because of different things. I found both of them in the tavern this morning I was there to just gauge how the people were doing and hearing any of the new gossip when I heard Gwain laughing with Lancelot and Percy. So I talk with them for a while with Arthur after I woke him up this morning. And that is how all three of them ended up here with us." Balinor was smiling as he greeted Gwain and Lancelot welcoming them to Anelya and then he asked Perce to tell his story which took about five minutes before everyone was ready to start eating but there was a plan set for this meal.

After the meal had been served Balinor started the plan by saying "Ailya my dear what is that sitting in the center of your plate?" Ailya looked down and saw a ring it had a twisted gold band that when you looked at it, it looked like a vine then the stone on top was a blue sapphire shaped into a rose. Merlin jumped in with the second part of the plan "Oh that is where I lost it." Merlin grabbed the ring Ailya was looking confused but then Merlin stood up and kneeled in front of her Ailya's breath stuck in her throat. Merlin held the ring out to here and said "Ailya I have loved you since I was twelve years old and I love you to this day. I want to spend the rest of my life with you if you will have me so will so will you do me the honor of marrying me." Ailya smiled tears flowing freely as she threw her arms around Merlin's neck saying "Yes, yes I will!" Merlin smiled as she pulled back and placed the ring on her finger the whole table cheered. Balinor hugged Merlin saying it was about time with made Arthur roar with laughter, Hunith hugged both Merlin and Ailya saying she could not be happier. Arthur clapped Merlin on the back and said "Well look who finally got a girl." Which made Merlin use his magic to blow a bit of wind in Arthur face just enough to make Arthur squint and have his hair blow around which made Merlin laugh as he said "Say that again and you might get blown over." Which made Arthur send out his normal insult of idiot and Merlin retort back with Prat.

Soon breakfast was over and it had been the best one he had had in years. He had about an hour before his ceremony to be named crowned prince of Anelya so he went to help Arthur get ready and then he got ready himself and he still had about a half hour so he decided to go and talk with his sister.

He was sitting in his little sisters room and they were talking about their lives and how much things had changed since the last time they saw each other. But now it was time for both of them to get into place for it was time for the ceremony.

Soon Merlin was kneeling on the dais and Lord Albric the court historian and family friend was asking the questions that had been asked sine Anelya was founded "Do you prince Merlin so swear to uphold the laws of Anelya and defend her people till the day you die?" "I so sear to do." Merlin replied confidently "Do you Swear to have mercy in your judgments and to help the people in their times of need?" Lord Albric asked "I swear." Merlin answered then Albric asked his last question "And when your father passes and you take his place do you swear to rule the people with justice and compassion like your father has done?" Merlin smiled and said "I so swear to do till the day I die." Lord Albric and Balinor smiled and Lord Albric said while placing a crown in Merlin's head "Then it is with great pride that I name you Crown Prince and hair to the throne of Anelya." Merlin rose and bowed to Balinor and Hunith while smiling everyone in the room started clapping and yelling in excitement. Merlin was now facing them look out at his people but then his eyes locked onto a pair of familiar blue eyes. Merlin smiled at Arthur who returned it and bowed his head slightly and Merlin bowed his head to him as well. In this happy moment none of them knew that that night would bring heartache, pain, pride, for Merlin and comfort to another and a choice for Arthur.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It had been a great day for Merlin, his friends, and his family. They were all in the throne room just talking and laughing but it ended all to soon. Alith burst through the door and bowed to Balinor then said "My lord, King Uther of Camelot is here he says if you do not grant an audience with him right now he will kill anyone in his way till he reaches this room and he says that he wants Prince Merlin and his son here as well and if you refuse he will massacre every person he can until you comply. What should I tell him sire?" Balinor looked at Merlin then Arthur, then to his wife, daughter, and soon to be daughter-in-law and sighed.

"Hunith take the girls to our chambers if I do not live through this you know what I have asked know you I love all of you. Merlin, Arthur you will stay Arthur I am sorry you have to see this but I will not fight your father because that will just cause a war with Camelot and I do not want that for either of our Kingdoms." Balinor paused the turned to Alith and said "Show him in Alith." Alith bowed his head then left.

five minutes later Uther walked in sword drawn and a sneer on his face as he said "I knew I would find you one day Balinor I can't believe it took me this long to make the connection I should have killed your brat a long time ago thank the gods he did not corrupt my son with his lies and evil magic but now I can kill you make your son feel the pain of losing a loved one and then I will get the chance to kill him myself. now fight me!" Uther yelled his last sentence but Balinor remained calm while walked towards Uther till he was ten paces away Uther raised a cross bow as Balinor said "I will not fight you Uther because of the friendship we once held before you began your campaign on magic so go ahead and kill me but know that you will not succeed at destroying magic." Uther sneered "Oh trust me I will." with that he shot a crossbow bolt right into Balinor's chest and Balinor fell to the ground and Merlin ran towards him.

"Father, please there must be something I can do I can't lose you so soon after getting you back!" Merlin cried over his father Balinor put a hand on his sons cheek saying "You have to let me go, I have never felt as happy as I have in the last two days since you have been home. I am so proud of the man you have become my son, but now it is your turn to show the world who you really are, you are Emrys and you will be a great king of Anelya so go and show the world what you are capable of and fulfill your destiny do that for all of us. I am so proud to have you as my son and I have never been prouder of you than I am at this moment. I can die happy knowing that I got to see you one last time." Balinor told Merlin that he loved him and with his last breath kissed his sons forehead and with that the great king of Anelya was dead.

Merlin cried over his father's body for a few minutes as Uther smirked in a manic way knowing he had hurt the boy who had deceived him while Arthur looked on in shock at what his father had done. "Now it is your turn you monster time for you to die too, are going to fight please say yes so I can proven right about how evil your kind is." Uther said smugly Merlin looked at his father's face noticing his father died with a small smile on his lips and what he had said rang in Merlin's ears "Show the world who you really are and fulfill your destiny." Merlin stood slowly and turned to Uther saying "Uther Pendragon I want to fight you because you killed my father before my eyes but that would just make me no better then you. I will not fight you for Arthur's sake I will not take his father away from him like you took mine. I care to much for Arthur to do that to him. So kill me with your blade for I know you only brought one bolt and I will not fight you, and I will not make Arthur choose because I care to much for him to make him choose between his own father and a friend. Now get on with it." Merlin looked at his father as Uther walked up to him sword ready for the final strike.

But just as Uther brought his blade down another blade blocked it Merlin was the first one to speak as he saw who wielded the blade "Arthur what are you doing?" Arthur looked at Merlin and smiled "I know you said you would not make me choose but I am choosing and I choose you, brother my father's wrong and I can't stand by and watch anymore, so I'm choosing you." Merlin smiled back at Arthur

Arthur then turned to his father who was in shock but broke out of it the moment Arthur called Merlin brother and now that Arthur was looking at him he growled "Arthur you would choose a sorcerer over your own family I raised you better than that. You know the evils of sorcery and yet you choose them. I have never been more disappointed in you." Arthur stood strait as he said "Yes I have seen some evil in sorcery but I have also seen the good in it you condemn all for the sins of a few, As far as I am concerned you are no father of mine you were never there for me, you passed me off to a nursemaid the first chance you got. You put your war against sorcery above me and everything else. Now I challenge you father for the right to the throne a fight to the death winner take all." Merlin stepped in saying "Arthur you don't have to do this." Arthur was still looking at his father as he said to Merlin "Yes I do Merlin I can't stand by and watch as this man massacre more innocent people and I won't, and the people of Camelot need a ruler who will care about them not a tyrant who only cares about his own personal quest. The magical community need to know that they will not be hunted for the sins of a few as well." Uther straitened and said "It looks like he has enchanted you son so let's hope when I kill him the enchantment he has over you will end." With that Uther rushed at Merlin sword held high Merlin did not even bother to draw his sword because no matter how angry he was at Uther for taking his father away from him he could not do the same to Arthur. He knew Arthur still loved his father and Merlin could not take that away from him.

Just as Uther almost close enough to drive his sword through Merlin's chest a blade sprouted through Uther's chest causing him to drop his sword. Uther looked down at the blade as it slid out of his chest. He fell to his knees and Arthur came around to face his father Uther looked up at Arthur and said "He will betray you and you will see that I was right and that you killed your own father for nothing." "No father he would never betray me unlike how you betrayed your friends because one made a mistake. You are no longer any family of mine and magic users will no longer suffer oppression like they have the last twenty years. Magic will be free in Camelot again and no one magic or not will have to afraid of who they are or who their children are." With his last breath Uther said "You will never succeed." Uther dropped to the floor dead.

Arthur turned and saw Merlin kneeling by his own father's dead body and he saw the tears that slid down Merlin's face. Arthur kneeled down beside Merlin a comforting arm around him pulling Merlin into a hug as he cried for the loss of his father until his tears ran dry. Merlin looked at Arthur and said "I'm not ready for this I am not ready to take my father's place I can't do this Arthur. How am I even going to tell mother, my sister that my father is dead. What am I to do." Arthur looked Merlin in the eyes and said "Merlin I heard what your father said to you, he knew you were ready and you proved him right the way you stood up to my father. You are ready Merlin and you won't be alone you still have me and you have your mother and sister and your soon to be wife. None of us will ever abandon you and it is time the world knew you for who you really are and all of who you are. I will stand by what I said to my father that Magic will again be free in Camelot." "Arthur you do not have to do that for me or anyone after twenty years of Uther telling everyone magic is evil so many have started to believe it and it will not be easy to change their minds for all they have seen are those willing to act on their anger at your father for he has done." Merlin paused then asked "Why did you do it why did you choose me he was your father all I am is a good friend so why did you do it?" Arthur smiled saying "You are so much more than a good friend, I told you once that you are a little brother to me in all but blood, your are also my best friend. You have been there for me since the day we met, and my father was never there for me my whole life. Today I make you a promise, I will never abandon you or betray you and you will always have an ally in Camelot nothing needed. All I want is to never lose you and your family for all of you have been more like the family I should have had all my life. In only the two days I have been here I finally knew what it felt like to have a family and I grieve for your father just like you do because in the two days I have been here he treated me like his own son. It is my fault that he is gone but I will do everything I can to make sure that his sacrifice was not in vain. You are the brother I should have had and you will make a fine king for Anelya. I chose you because you are my brother and I will not let anything to happen to you or your family again I promise you that." Arthur paused then said "If you will have me I stay a while see your coronation and your wedding and I will stay for a little while after, then I will head back to Camelot and hopefully you will come with me along with your family so you can see my coronation and hopefully you will stay for a few months and we will just keep going back and forth a few months in each place that way you will have the support you need and I won't have to lose my brother or newfound family. So will you have me?" Merlin smiled threw his tears the smile reached his eyes this time as he said "I would not have any other way you prat." Arthur laughed knowing that Merlin was trying to start their banter they usually did and Arthur pulled Merlin into a headlock and rubbed his knuckles into his new brother's head saying "Yeah well your stuck with me Idiot so you better get used to it because you will be seeing a lot more of me." Merlin laughed while he used a trick he knew would catch Arthur off guard and practically flipped Arthur on his back Merlin on top of him pinning Arthur's arm above his head and said "Well I am glad of it so you better get used to ruff housing my way because you going to be getting a lot of it behind closed doors." Merlin laughed along with Arthur as he stood pulling Arthur with him.

Merlin got serious as he said "I should tell my mother and sister what happened then our fathers will both be burned as a burial for the people to see. It is the highest honor given to a king." Arthur looked at Merlin confused as he asked "Why are you giving my father an honored burial when he killed your father in cold blood and tried to kill you I don't understand why you would do that?" Merlin gave a small smile as he said "You father may have killed mine, he may have committed many crimes but he was still a king and father taught a long time ago that even those who fall even your enemy deservers your respect and Uther may have made himself an enemy of mine this day he died trying to kill me but I will honor him as is right in the only way I can by giving him an honorable burial that my father would have commanded he be given and I will bury my own father on the same prier as he would have wanted. That is why I give him and honorable burial Arthur because I was raised to respect my enemies no matter who they are. I also have another reason and that is you, for all your father did he did one thing that I will not regret he let me be your manservant, he let me get to know you and you me, and in doing so he gave me a brother and even though I have much to hate him for I have to thank him for giving me a brother in you." Arthur smiled in understanding then Merlin called the guards told them to prepare both bodies for burial and to build the prier tell the towns people and everyone they can find that the burial will be set in two hours.

Once the guards had left with their father's bodies Arthur followed Merlin to Balinor's chambers where his mother, sister, and fiancé were waiting. Merlin took a deep breath while Arthur squeezed his shoulder reassuringly and opened the door.

"Mother, Aria I am so sorry there was nothing I could do, father's dead. So is Uther though Arthur chose us over his father for reasons that are his own. Both of them will be burned as is tradition for a king in two hours. We'll figure everything else out from there. I am so sorry." Merlin said to his family tears streaming down his face again Hunith held her son as he cried for the loss of his father, Aria ran to Arthur and cried into his chest as held saying how sorry he was. Merlin tears ran dry first and then he saw his sister and Arthur and he realized just how much they had grown to love each other in the short time they had known one another. Merlin walked over to his sister and adopted brother and said "I see now how much you two really care for each other and could not be happier for it." Aria sniffled and looked at her brother saying "I am sorry I did not mean to lose it like that. But I told you I cared told you I cared for Arthur just yesterday." Merlin's eyebrows raised just like his uncles did as he looked at Arthur waiting for an answer Arthur looked at Merlin with a little fear in his eyes as he said "Merlin after everything is settled today I think we need to talk there is something I need to ask you." Merlin nodded and said "alright we'll talk tonight but I have a feeling I already know what you want to talk about." Arthur nodded.

Merlin and his mother talked for the whole time before the burial figuring out a few things and Merlin told his mother just what Arthur had told him about why he chose them and Hunith was astounded at how loyal Arthur was to Merlin and their family.

The burial was started everyone in the city was there for their king and for the royal family no one was really there for Uther. After the prier was started Merlin said loud enough for the whole square to hear "People of Anelya today we lost a king, a father, and friend. But his sacrifice will not be in vain. He died defending me and it was not I who killed Uther it was his son Arthur who killed him because he chose my family over his own and he chose a better future for not his people but us as well. He has told me that we have Camelot as an ally no treaty or anything needed and I have accepted both royal families will be spending three to six months at each other's kingdom at a time to keep ties between friends and newfound loved ones. So today let us honor our king who died defending us and let us honor the new Camelotion king by honoring his father who died at his hand."

All the mourners bowed their heads and said a prayer for their king Merlin said to himself after the initial prayer was done "Rest in peace father, I will strive to be a good king like you were. I will watch over our family and people just as you would have. You were right it is my time to show the world who I really am, and to fulfill my destiny. I will strive to honor your memory father and I won't let you down." Merlin heard Arthur say to Balinor "Balinor you treated me like your own son in two days you knew me. I will do everything I can do undo what my own father has done and I will help Merlin protect both your family and your people as well as my own because Merlin is as a brother to me. I promise you your life will not be forgotten and magic will return to this land and Merlin will not be alone in his fight I swear this to you." soon after all the prayers were said the crowd departed as the prier burnt out.

The rest of the day was spent in mourning for tomorrow would be Merlin's coronation and that was a day for celebrating but today was a day of mourning.

Merlin and Arthur both decided that their conversation could wait till the next morning as Merlin told Arthur that his family was going to mourn together by telling stories of Balinor's life and that Merlin and Hunith wanted Arthur to join them so he could hear some stories about Balinor's life as was considered by all of them as part of the family now.

Tomorrow would be a new dawn for Anelya and soon the starting of the birth of Albion.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Hey guys hope you enjoy the chapter I had a bit of hard time writing parts and don't how I did so please review constructive critisim is welcome just please no fire. hope you enjoy it let the show begin**_

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**Chapter 10**

Merlin did not sleep that night he could tell Arthur did not either he could hear him next store pacing and talking to himself. It was a little after dawn and Merlin was still sitting in the armchair by the hearth staring at the fire the he had magically set so that it would not burn out till he wanted it to. There was a knock on the door Merlin did not even look up he knew who it was he had heard Arthur's door close to seconds before he called out softly "Come on in Arthur." The door opened and Arthur's familiar footsteps were heard then he closed the door quietly and walked over and sat in the armchair opposite Merlin.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Arthur asked "You doing ok?" Merlin finally looked at Arthur and said "I am doing as well as can be expected I am more worried about you though I know you were up all night. Once you were on your own I could hear bad off you were but I knew you would not take well someone intruding on you last night. But now, now I know you need to talk and you are just too stubborn to admit. Arthur I saw how you were last night even though you were trying to hide no one else noticed but I did I have known you too long to. When you thought no one was paying attention that fake smile you had plastered on you face would fall, your shoulders would slump forward, and you would look defeated. I know you well enough to know you are not alright you are worse off than I am. I made peace with fact my father is gone so has my family and made peace with reason behind it. But I know you are hard time with you did and a few other things that you are not sure about and you know you can trust me so talk."

Arthur finally relented know Merlin was not going to let go and would keep badgering him until he told him. "Alright fine, I am a little upset that I had to kill my own father I don't regret it though I know I did the right thing and made peace with that last night but there are other things that hit me when I was alone that I am having a hard time coming to terms with. The biggest one is I am an orphan now my mother died because I was born and my father died at my hand. I have no other family out there on either side. When I go home it will hit even harder that I am truly all alone even surrounded by friends I have no family left. It hurts to know that I hurts to know I have no family left. It is just hard to comes to terms with." Merlin now understood why Arthur seemed so down last night it was because he thought he had no family left.

"Arthur you think you have no family but you are wrong. Family is not just who bore you it is those who were there for you, who care for you, and would do anything for you without want for recognition or reward but just to do it. You may have lost both of your parents but that does not mean you don't have family left. You have me, my mother, my sister, Ailya, Sir Leon, Lancelot, and Gwain. We are your family Arthur and even if the rest of them someday leave you can have faith in that fact that you will always have me I will always be there just like I promised and like family is suppose to be. Arthur you will never be alone you have a family still and you always will. So don't feel like you don't have anyone because you do alright." Arthur smiled and said "You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that. Thank you Merlin your right I'm not alone and I am glad of that."

Merlin knew now that both of them were now on the mend from what happened the night before. Now it was time for Arthur and Merlin to have a little talk about Merlin's sister. "Arthur we agreed that this morning we would have a talk about my little sister." Arthur's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head but he nodded and Merlin continued "Alright ever since we were children my sister always went to my for comfort and if she was not around then me. Last night though for the first time ever she ran to someone else and both me and my mother were in the room, she went to you. That means that she trusts you enough to show you her vulnerable side and from what I have seen before that, like the walks you both took, the way you look at each other, the laughing the flirting. I saw it all Arthur and I have to tell you if I could have chosen anyone for my sister you would have been the only one on the list. I do warn you though, that if you ever hurt her intentionally I will make your life a living hell for long time and don't want to know how I will accomplish that." "I would never hurt her intentionally and I was planning on asking you father in a few days but now he is gone and you are her older brother so it is only right to ask you. I want your permission to court your sister I know I have only known her for a few days but I feel like I have known her years so can I have your permission?" Merlin could tell that Arthur was afraid he would say no so Merlin thought he would have a little fun with his friend he already knew his answer was the one Arthur wanted but Merlin was going to have a bit of fun with him first.

"I don't think so I really don't know if I feel I can do that." Arthur looked crestfallen at that but said "I understand she is your sister you have-" Merlin lost it and started laughing so hard he nearly fell out of the chair and said through his laughter "I can't believe you fell for that you are so predictable. Of course you can my sister but you have to ask her first because she is the one your courting not me." Arthur's jaw dropped as he said "You tricked me and now you going to pay for it." Merlin saw Arthur get a devious grin on his face it made Merlin tense up he knew what Arthur was planning.

Arthur lunched himself at Merlin tackling him to the ground causing them both to fall to the ground. Arthur thought since he had the element of surprise Merlin would be subdued easily but come to find out that was not the case and Merlin had Arthur pinned to the ground under him in less the two minutes. They were both laughing by that time when they finally got their composure before letting Arthur up Merlin said "Don't think just because you get the element over me that I won't be able to defeat you or that it will give you any advantage because that will just end up with you defeated." Arthur just shook his head in exasperation and let Merlin pull him up off the floor.

A few hours later Merlin only had an hour before he officially took his father's place as king. Merlin was standing on the battlements of castle looking out over the forest and lower town. Arthur found him there and just stood there next to him in silence until Merlin said "He is really gone. In one hour I'll be taking his role that he trained me for almost all my life until I had to flee. In one hour I won't have any choice well no one will really but to accept that he is gone and he's not coming back." Arthur sighed but said "Your right Merlin your father is gone but from what I have learned from you over the years that I have spent with you is the one we love never truly leave us because we have our memories of them and what they did for us. You told me once when I felt down because of my mother's death that if I wanted to honor her memory and anyone else I had lost that I loved then I should live my life in honor of them and strive be the best I could be because they would not want me to feel bad because they were not there anymore but for me to keep going and doing what I could to make them proud and myself. You know if you said I said this I will completely deny it but for the last three years since you told me that it has been something I live by and keep reminding myself of that no matter what as I remember the ones that I lost who I loved will never leave me as long I remember them or if in my mother's case what she would have wanted me to live for. So Merlin it high time you took your own advice your father will never be gone as long as you remember him and strive to live your life the way you know the way he would want you too by just being you and honoring his last wish for you to show the world who you really are and fulfill your destiny for everyone which I know you can do. So don't worry cause as long as you have that he will always be here." Merlin let a small smile cross his face as he said "Thanks Arthur your right. You know you have changed a lot since I first met you. You became your own person not the person your father tried to force you to be. You are challenging everything you were ever taught since that little mace war we had in the lower town of Camelot. Any other person would have been thrown in the dungeon for fighting with you and telling you that you were an ass but instead you let me go that was the first time I thought that maybe you might be worth something but after a few more times of testing a few things out to see if I was right and you were worth something I ended up having to save your life the first time and that is when your attitude change sped up to a level I never thought possible. In the last four years that I have known you, you went from a compete ass to the only person I gave all of my loyalty, faith, trust, and friendship to and the only person I would follow anywhere even into the mouth of hell itself. Which might be where we are headed in the next few months once we return to Camelot and start bring magic back so might was prepare for that because when we head back it is going to be hell but I will follow you there anyway because if we have to go through hell to even start to fulfill our destiny then it is worth it as long as we do it together." Arthur said "Well from what you have said a few times we are two sides of the same coins so if am right nothing will ever separate us." Merlin clapped Arthur on the back and just smiled which Arthur returned.

An hour later Merlin said his oaths as the new king and the crown was placed on his head. Merlin stood up a faced everyone he could not help but smiled at everyone gathered there Arthur called "Long live the king!" with much enthusiasm causing everyone else to follow Merlin looked at Arthur smiling but now it was time for Merlin to say something to his people and friends.

Merlin raised a hand to quiet everyone's cheering and once the area was silent Merlin said "All I want to say is I don't think I could ever live up to how well my father ruled this kingdom before me but I promise you that I will do everything I can to protect the kingdom of Anelya and every person within her borders till the day I die. But I will also try and make a better life for all of us and every magic user here and everywhere not just in Anelya with Arthur's help that can become a reality. I hope that one day you can look to me to protect you and help you in any way just like you did with my father. I pray you all will let me help you as you all help my father and me through the years even when I was in hiding it was the thought of all of you and my family that me going but when I felt that that was not enough Arthur would get me through. I have everyone in the room and kingdom to thank for always standing by my father and me. I am including Arthur Pendragon and Camelot in this, together we will see the dawning of a united and free Albion and all of you will be able to say that you had some small part in that no matter how big or small it is all of you have a part in this and together all of us will bring about the golden age. A free and united Albion were all of us magic or not can be free and I promise you that that day is coming and it has already started. I hope all of us standing here today will get to see it because it be a glorious day. Thank you all for being here today and thank you for all your faith you have my family hopefully one day I will prove that I am worthy of that." Merlin bowed to his people who started cheering and clapping shouting long live the king. Soon enough though to Merlin's relief the coronation was over and he could finally have some time to wrap his head around all this.

Arthur caught up with him and said "Well that was great. I know you will do everyone proud just like your father did. Now what do you say to grabbing Gwain and Lancelot and just go out for a day trip out in the woods we will be back after nightfall." Merlin thought about and then agreed saying it might be fun because then Merlin got a devious smile on his face and said "At least for me." which made Arthur laugh at Merlin's antics. Soon all of them were heading out to the forest to just horse around and have some fun as friends.

Merlin had to admit he now felt he could fulfill his destiny and was time to show the world who he really was and what he could do when Arthur was by his side. The next year was definitely going to be interesting.


End file.
